Que Sera, Sera
by Livie79
Summary: Isabella's life was nothing more than a series of unfortunate events since the day she was born. For her, monsters are real, love is the fantasy, and fate is a cruel mistress. The future's not ours, to see...what will be, will be. AH ExB
1. The Bad Beginning

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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**Chapter One**

**The Bad Beginning **

"_They didn't understand it, but like so many unfortunate events in life, just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't so." _

Isabella closed the book quickly and slid it between her mattresses as footsteps echoed down the hall. She scrambled quickly under the sheets and screwed her eyes shut, hoping that whoever stood in the now open doorway would believe her feigned sleep.

Several tense seconds followed, the air around her thick with anxiety as she waited. A sharp exhale echoed in the room followed by a muted swear as the door swung shut once more, the click of the lock engaging from the outside sounding like a cannon in the quiet night.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she rolled onto her back, her exhale slow and measured, the last sentence of her book echoing in her mind. Isabella knew all about unfortunate events, her entire life had been one long string of them―starting from the day she was born.

Her parents never let her forget it either. They never failed to remind her that she killed her twin brother, sucked the life right from his body before he even had the chance to take his first breath.

Evil. Wicked. A spawn of Satan himself. That's what they called her every time she did something to displease them, a validation that their treatment wasn't ill-founded. Books weren't allowed―not for pleasure― her parents would never allow her such a luxury. She was only allowed to read books the school required, and even then her parents had to approve them.

She wasn't even allowed to read the Bible, her parents believing she would somehow taint the word of God, that her soul was too lost, too far from redemption. But that didn't mean she wouldn't be punished in his name, beaten down and broken at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and love her.

Hypocrisy bled from their souls.

But it wouldn't last forever. It _couldn't _last forever. There had to be more, some other life waiting for her. But until she found it, she had to keep quiet, stay out of everyone's way and pray she would survive the ever increasing abuse bestowed upon her both emotionally and physically.

The irony of praying to the same God her parents used as justification for their actions was not lost on her.

The floorboards creaked as the old house settled. Wind whistled through the old drafty windows, while branches scraped against cracked and faded siding as she began to drift. She fell asleep that night like she did every night― her body rigid, her muscles tense, and her mind ever on the edges of alertness― waiting for the sun to steal away the night and give her the means to escape, if only for a little while.

She rose dutifully the next morning, dressing and making her bed quickly before shoving her secret book into her backpack and waiting by the bedroom door. It was always the same routine: she was to be dressed, her bed made, and standing by the door when Renee came to unlock it. She'd made the mistake of oversleeping one morning. The result was a beating which ensured she'd never do it again.

"I see the Devil hasn't called his child home to burn yet." Her mother, Renee, sneered, eyeing her daughter with disdain as she downed the glass of orange juice in her hand that was heavily diluted with vodka.

Isabella dropped her chin to her chest and stared blankly at the floor, unsure how to respond. It was always difficult to decide between apologizing for still being alive, or remaining silent so the sound of her voice didn't send her mother into a fit of rage.

"Go make breakfast," Renee spat, curling her fingers into Isabella's shoulder until her nails dug into her skin, before shoving her down the hall.

Silence was the answer then.

Isabella moved around the kitchen soundlessly, her entire focus on preparing breakfast for her family. She never allowed her gaze slide over to her father, Charlie, who was hunched over the table staring intently at the Bible laying open in front of him. On the other side of the table, icy blue eyes burned into the back of Isabella's head. Alice, Isabella's older sister, was no doubt devising another plan to condemn Isabella to the basement and the belt, anything to keep the focus off herself.

Isabella almost made it to the front door when the sound of her father's voice stopped her cold in her tracks.

"Tell me the rules," Charlie demanded, his frame tall and domineering as he towered over her.

Isabella swallowed thickly and willed her voice not to tremble as violently as her hands, which were clasped tightly behind her back.

"Don't speak to anyone except the teachers."

"And?" he fumed, his hands balling into tight fists, adrenaline coursing through his body as he prepared for the thrill of unleashing his pent up aggression on this pathetic excuse of a human being.

"And only then if asked a question directly," she added quietly, her heart pounding in her chest.

Charlie reached up, his fingers rubbing softly against the smooth pale skin of her forehead, the touch almost seemed affectionate, loving. "Go on."

Her legs shook as she took in a ragged breath, her vision blurring as her stomach twisted and turned, nerves causing her breakfast to rise inch by inch.

"Answer me, goddamn it!" he roared, his touch no longer gentle as he wound his fingers into her thick dark hair and yanked her head down and to the side until she was almost parallel to the floor.

She cried out in pain which only angered him further, his other hand rising before slamming against the back of her head, causing black spots to cover her vision.

"Come straight home," she gasped. "Don't make eye contact with anyone."

"And why are you not to do that?"

"Because I will infect them with my wickedness," she choked, her breaths coming in short, choppy pants.

"And the most important?" he sneered, his hot rancid breath washing over her skin, spittle covering her face.

"Never, ever, talk to boys."

Her father tightened his grip in her hair once more before releasing her with a shove, his grunt of disapproval the last thing she heard as she crashed against the hardwood floor and he disappeared down the hall.

She lifted herself on unsteady legs, and ran her fingers through her hair, wincing as they touched her tender scalp, a clump of hair pulling away with her hand.

Alice glided past her, her mouth twisted with a smirk of satisfaction, her eyes dark and cruel. "I'll be watching you." And with that she bounded down the steps and toward the school, leaving Isabella once again, completely alone.

As she'd done everyday since she'd started school, Isabella kept her head down and her eyes focused on anything but the people around her, not daring to engage in conversation. And like every year before it had gone exactly the same: she isolated herself from the other students, and ignored the taunts from bullies.

Until today.

Because as she slid into her seat on the first day of school for her Advanced Biology class, a familiar boyish face with jade eyes, messy reddish-brown hair, and full lips fell into the chair beside her. With a crooked and soft smile, he nodded his head and stuck out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen. Looks like we'll be lab partners this year."

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**A/N**

**So, no one is probably surprise at how different this is from my last fic. I don't think any of my stories have been remotely the same, LOL. Well, except for the angst. That is ever present.**

**This is just something I'm doing for Halloween because it's my favorite holiday! It's going to be 13 chapters long and I will post a chapter a day, the final one posting on Halloween. Dun, dun, dunnnn. lolz.**

**The quotes at the beginning of each chapter come from the chapter titles, which are named after each book in the Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events series. It's also in 3rd person. I've never done that before. It's been...interesting. But it's necessary for this story. I know horror isn't for everyone, but lots of people swore they'd never read a cheater fic too and still enjoyed Glass House. I promise I think you guys will like this one as well. However, PLEASE read the note below. You guys know I don't believe in blindsiding y'all.**

**I am going to WARN YOU ALL NOW! This is a HORROR STORY! Horror encompasses: terror - dread - fright - abhorrence - fear - death... So please, before you start reading, Que Sera, Sera is a romance, angst, drama, hurt, comfort, suspense, horror, and tragedy all rolled into one intense story. For those of you who choose to continue...enjoy!**

**I called in the big dog to make sure I was true to horror on this one, big huge gigantic thanks to Raggdoll of Twilight for keeping me in line. That girl knows horror and writes some of my favorite fics, y'all definitely need to check out her stuff if you like this genre, cause OMG.**

**Also thanks to MidNight Cougar for pimping this fic on the Rob Attack blog BEFORE I even posted a damn chapter and to Cared Cullen for making my creepy ass banner (it's on my profile page). Love you guys!**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	2. The Reptile Room

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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**Chapter Two**

**The Reptile Room**

"_Sometimes, even in the most unfortunate of lives, there will occur a moment or two of good fortune." _

Isabella stared wide eyed at the hand extended toward her, long slender fingers encroaching the space between them. She shook her head and pushed her chair as far away from his as possible, not daring to make eye contact.

Edward gaped at her―his cheeks heating with embarrassment from the obvious snub―before letting his hand fall into his lap and clearing his throat needlessly. A few snickers could be heard from behind, but he didn't dare look.

He'd only moved to Lewisburg, West Virginia six months earlier, just in time to finish out the last semester of his junior year before the summer. He'd made a few friends and in a town with a population less than four thousand it wasn't difficult to see why people would jump on any opportunity to break the monotony.

He tilted his chin slightly to the side and peered at the girl next to him out of the corner of his eye. She had her head down, her hair falling over her shoulder and blocking her face from view. He let his eyes drift down, noticing an angry red mark on the outside of her elbow, that appeared tender and swollen. Her hands were in her lap, fingers wound together so tightly that her knuckles were white.

What was her deal, he wondered, his mouth curving into a frown. He'd noticed the pretty little brunette when he'd started school last year, her shy quiet demeanor tugging at something inside him, an unexplainable feeling of longing whenever she was near. But when he'd asked about her, people had laughed and called her a freak, whispering stories about her family and how they were all insane, Isabella the craziest of them all.

Edward had wanted to ignore the gossip, work up the nerve to approach her, but one look at the faces of his newfound friends stopped him in his tracks. But that didn't prevent him from watching her, wondering what she looked like when she smiled, or pulled her hair away from her face, or how her voice sounded.

When he'd seen the class seating chart he'd been so excited, thinking that _finally _he'd be able to talk to her, introduce himself, maybe get to know her. But that obviously wasn't going to happen because she apparently had no interest in any of those things.

That realization bothered Edward more than he cared to admit.

Isabella closed her eyes and tried to pull deep, calming breaths into her lungs, her teeth sinking so harshly into her lip she could taste the faint traces of blood. Why him, she wanted to scream. Why did the only person in school who hadn't treated her unkindly, like a social pariah, have to be the one she was partnered with?

Isabella had noticed the new boy just as quickly as the other students when he arrived last year, his friendly, open smile and ridiculous good looks impossible to ignore. She also knew that he watched her, could feel his gaze laying heavily on her whenever he was close, but she dared no more than a peek at him through her curtain of hair.

The way he looked at her was different from the other students. There was no malice behind his gaze, no ulterior motives lingering under the surface. Not that it mattered, because those soft, curious glances still translated to nothing but trouble for Isabella.

None of the other students would have bothered to introduce themselves, to try and talk to her. No, they would've whined to the teacher about having 'the mute' as a partner and the teacher would've taken pity on them, moving them to another station.

Most times the teachers never even bothered to pair her with anyone in the first place.

But the class was even this time, and the teacher had no choice but to stick the charismatic new student with the troubled quiet girl who had been the topic of conversation in the teacher's lounge on more than one occasion.

Isabella wracked her brain as she tried to figure a way out of her predicament. She would have to tell her parents she had been paired with a lab partner in biology...and that her partner was a boy. A tremor of fear jolted through her body as she thought about what her parents would do when she told them.

An idea suddenly hit her―a way to avoid telling her parents about her new lab partner―without breaking their rules. Isabella knew if she were to talk to him, act like a normal person, that Alice would surely hear about it and would waste no time telling their parents.

Alice never missed the opportunity to condemn Isabella to punishment if it meant she could avoid it.

She unclasped her fingers, her joints aching from the strain as she flexed her hands. She reached out in front of her and picked up her pen, flipping the notebook on the table open to a fresh blank page.

With her heart pounding in her chest she began to write.

_I apologize for being rude earlier, but...I can't talk to you. I know that sounds weird―please don't ask me to explain―but the class is full and I don't want to leave you without a lab partner. Do you think maybe we can make this work, like this? Oh, and my name is Isabella. _

She stared intently at the note in front of her, indecision making her heart rate climb even higher. Would he laugh? Would he show her note to others and confirm she was every bit the freak the other students accused her of being? Something nagged at her that Edward was different, but it still left a bubble of unease lodged in her throat.

Edward watched as Isabella wrote furiously in her notebook. The teacher was going over the syllabus that each student had in front of them, so there was no reason for her to be taking notes. He shifted forward, propping his elbows on the table with feigned nonchalance as he twisted his neck to the side in an attempt to see what she was writing.

Her hair draped over her bent arm and she kept her head low, guarding her words as her pen rested limply in her hand. He huffed out a frustrated breath when he realized he couldn't see any of her notebook.

Edward jerked in surprise when Isabella shifted toward him, her hair parting briefly from the movement before veiling her face once more.

He could have sworn she was looking straight at him.

But he didn't get a chance to ponder that thought, because suddenly the notebook he'd tried so hard to get a peek at was now directly in front of him. His head swung in her direction, his eyes widened in surprise.

Isabella was once again hunched forward in her seat, head down, hands clasped tightly in front of her.

"Wha-" he started, before cutting himself off abruptly when he noticed her shaking her head no in small jerky motions.

Edward snapped his jaw shut and turned his attention back to the notebook in front of him, his brow creasing in confusion as he read her note. Something akin to dread twisted and knotted his stomach. At the same time something else, something hopeful, bloomed in his chest. Because the intent was clear―she wasn't shunning him―she wanted to be his lab partner.

Isabella held her breath and peeked at Edward through her hair as he read her note. She watched as several different emotions played across his face before morphing into a wide smile that caused his eyes to pinch at the corners.

Isabella's throat tightened and her eyes stung as emotions she'd never experienced before― had only read about in books― welled up inside of her.

Never had anyone smiled like that because of her.

She blinked back tears and tried not to wince when the edge of her notebook brushed against her injured elbow. But the pain was immediately forgotten as she read the messy scrawl printed below hers.

_Hello, Isabella. It's nice to meet you. And yes, we can definitely make this work. -Edward_

A small gasp slipped past Isabella's lips as her mouth split into a wide, blinding smile. A strange sensation surged through her, causing a flutter in her stomach that had nothing to do with fear or dread.

The bell rang dismissing class and Isabella quietly gathered her things, her mind registering that her cheeks had begun to ache. This realization made her steps falter as she processed its meaning.

Never before did Isabella have reason to smile like that.

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**A/N**

**Oh these two, they make my heart flutter. Sigh. You guys, have once again, blown my freaking mind. Legit slack-jawed this morning when I read the reviews and saw how many of you were climbing on yet another crazy train with me. Y'all are insane! LMAO But seriously, wow. Thank you for trusting me.**

**A few of you asked if I had something against Alice, and I realized DAMN I've really made her a bitch in my last two stories, huh? I don't have anything against her, I just get tired of her being the bubblegum popping, rainbow spreading, ball of freaking sunshine all the time. Maybe this story will get that out of my system!**

**Raggdoll of Twilight is holding my hand with this one, thank freaking God. She also gives kick ass feedback and adds lots of commas. Because apparently I DO have something against those.**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	3. The Wide Window

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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**Chapter Three**

**The Wide Window**

"_Oftentimes, when people are miserable, they will want to make other people miserable, too. But it never helps."_

Isabella glanced down the corridor, making sure the coast was clear before darting across the hall and into the library. She knew the librarian always stepped out the back entrance this time every day for a smoke break. It was the only time she dared to come inside.

She moved soundlessly to the far back corner where the library housed its collection of Lemony Snicket's books. She dropped her backpack to the floor and fished out her borrowed copy of _The Bad Beginning_ before slipping it back into place.

Bouncing on her toes restlessly, she tried to decide which book to take with her. She'd read the first twelve in the series, but the library had yet to purchase the thirteenth and final book. She could no more request it be ordered anymore than she could check out whichever one she chose to shove in her bag, knowing if she did her parents would find out.

She thought she would have a little more freedom this year, thinking with Alice graduating a year ahead of her she could at least pretend her life was somewhat normal. But when her parents started making Alice stay home from school more and more and her grades began to slip Isabella knew she would not not be alone her senior year of high school. If she thought Alice cruel before, it was nothing compared to how she treated Isabella now.

Reaching blindly she grabbed the first book her fingers came in contact with and hid it in the bottom of her bag before scurrying out of the building. With her head down and the strap of her backpack clutched tightly in her hands, she began the short walk home.

Dread weighted Isabella's feet with lead as she approached the house at the end of the street. The large front yard was overgrown and neglected. The once grand, wrap around porch now nothing more than a cluttered mess of rotted wood and peeling paint. The ugliness on the outside almost as decrepit as the ugliness living within.

She wrapped her trembling fingers around the iron handle of the front door and twisted, the aged wood groaning in protest as it swung open. The stale air reeked of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and vomit―all of which were familiar―but made her want to gag nonetheless.

"Well, hello there little Isabella."

A cold chill slithered down her spine as the man's voice rang out in the silent room. She kept her head down and squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to calm her nerves and will her feet to carry her forward and away from him.

"Cat got your tongue?" he laughed, his heavy footsteps becoming louder as he moved closer.

"You know," he whispered, his fingers stroking down the side of her face, "all you have to do is say the word and I'll take you away from here. A life with me can't possibly be worse than living in this shithole."

His finger trailed down her neck before tracing the line of her collarbone just as Renee's voice broke the silence. He dropped his hand quickly and took several steps back as Renee rounded the corner.

"Phil," she slurred, a lecherous grin playing at the corner of her mouth. "Come back to bed."

He cleared his throat as he stared at his drunken lover, before jerking his head to the side in Isabella's direction, letting Renee know they were no longer alone.

"Oh goodie," she mocked, her voice dripping with disdain. "Isabella's home."

Isabella slowly raised her head and pried her eyes open to look at her mother―to try and gauge her mood―and oh how she wished she hadn't. Because Renee wasn't looking at her, instead she was glaring at Phil with narrowed, suspicious eyes that slowly tracked their way to Isabella.

"You did it again, didn't you?" Renee asked, her voice low and dangerous.

Isabella's eyes widened as she watched her mother's face twist into an ugly sneer as she stalked toward her.

"No, I―"

"Liar!" her mother screamed, her raised hand flying forward and connecting with the side of Isabella's face with enough force to cause them both to stumble.

But Renee wasn't done with her.

Rage swelled inside of Renee as she grabbed her daughter by the hair and yanked her forward until their noses were almost touching.

"Did you tempt him? Lure him away from me by unleashing the evil that breeds inside of you and escapes through your dark, tempting eyes?" Renee slid the hand she had twisted in Isabella's hair around while she raised her other one, until both were cupping Isabella's face. She moved her thumbs over her daughter's eyes and pressed down until bright burst of light exploded behind her closed lids.

"I should cut your eyes out," she growled cruelly. "Then no one would have to suffer from your wickedness."

"Ah, but think of all the chores she couldn't do anymore," Phil mused, his tone light and playful as he tried to divert Renee's attention. The thought of never seeing Isabella's dark, bewitching eyes again was unimaginable to him. He had plans for little Isabella, and he wouldn't have them tainted because her drunken, whore of a mother was jealous.

"And then all the questions," he added, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Renee's waist.

She lowered her hands from Isabella's face and laughed, laying her palms over his. "No, we wouldn't want the police to become involved. Would we Sheriff Dwyer?"

"No way," he chucked, his lips pressing against Renee's neck, while his eyes focused intently on the dark beauty in front of him who was crying softly, her hands shielding her face.

Isabella swayed dizzily, her head swimming as throbbing pain radiated from her eyes.

"Go make dinner and do your chores, then go to your room. I don't want to look at your face again tonight. And if you're lucky, I won't tell your father what happened," Renee taunted, before pulling Phil along behind her, needing to connect with him, to remind him that _she_ was who he wanted.

Finally alone, Isabella dropped her hands from her red, swollen eyes and stumbled into the kitchen, intent on finishing her chores and escaping to the solitude of her room as quickly as possible.

Across town, Edward paced the length of his room, ignoring his mother's call to come down for dinner. His mind worked furiously as he tried to unravel the mystery that was Isabella―each theory he conjured more wild than the last.

Clearly, she wasn't mute. When asked a direct question by the teacher today she had answered. His heart beat a little faster as he remember how the sound of her voice affected him. Soft, sweet, and shy.

Was it him specifically she wasn't allowed to talk to? And if so, why?

He yanked at his hair as he tried to recall if he'd ever noticed her speaking to anyone, and with sobering clarity he realized, he hadn't.

But he'd also never seen her smile either―until today. His view was partially obscured by her hair, but he managed to catch a glimpse of her face when her cheeks lifted and her parted lips curved upward.

So what was it then?

Finally succumbing to his mother's request he headed down for dinner, listening as his parents chatted about their day, and answering their questions when they asked about his. But his mind was unsettled, unfocused as he continued to let his thoughts drift to Isabella.

His need for answers, his bone deep curiosity had him excusing himself from dinner and bounding down the front steps, caling out to his parents that he would be back soon. Over the summer he'd taken the opportunity to learn the small town, checking out side streets, trails and of course the caves.

So he didn't hesitate when he took off in the direction of Isabella's house.

Not wanting to bring unwanted attention to himself, he stayed clear of the halo of light under the streetlamps, instead hugging the shadows just out of their reach. He was three houses away when movement on the front porch of Isabella's house caught his attention.

He watched as a man shuffled down the steps and crawled into a police car before pulling out into the street. Edward ducked behind a couple a trash cans and waited until the taillights disappeared before edging closer.

Why would the police be at Isabella's house? Was something wrong? Someone hurt? His heart rate increased as he broke into a jog, stopping directly across the street from her house and positioning himself next to a large oak tree for cover.

Edward squinted as headlights rounded the corner and pulled down the street, parking in the same spot the police car just vacated. A tall man with wide shoulders, dark hair, and a confident gate strode up the steps and into the house. Edward crept closer, crossing the street and darting behind the tree in Isabella's front yard.

He watched through the bare front window as the man approached a woman Edward assumed was Isabella's mother. His eyes went wide when the man reached up and grabbed the woman by the throat, her arms waving wildly as her muffled scream pierced the quiet night.

Isabella tensed as her mother's scream bounced off the walls and slammed into her bones. She stood from the chair by her bedroom window, clutching her book to her chest before sliding it into her bag and straightening her back. She pinched her eyes shut as terrified, but resigned tears rolled heavily down her cheeks.

Isabella knew what her mother's screams meant―he father knew Phil had been here. And because her father was too proud to believe his wife would willingly sleep with another man and her mother too much of a coward to leave Charlie, Isabella would, once again, pay for their sins.

Because what better way to deal with your own miserable existence than blame someone else?

Isabella reached up and placed her palm flat against the cool pane before resting her forehead next to it briefly. Her hot breath fanned over the glass, causing a circle of fog to coat the surface. She pushed her head away, moving her hand over until the tip of her finger lay in the center of the area.

Carefully she looped her finger, curving it upwards before placing two dots above. She stared at the smiley face, her eyes swollen and glassy as the image of a messy haired, green eyed boy formed in her head.

The only person who'd ever made her smile.

Isabella drew in a sharp breath as her parents argument grew louder, more heated. She lifted her arm and with a heavy hand slid it across the surface of the glass, wiping away any evidence that it had even been there at all.

There would be no smiling tonight, not for Isabella.

Outside, Edward's eyes stayed locked on the petite brunette in the large window on the second floor of the house. Her pale face drawn, sad and resigned all at once. The tug in his chest to go to her, comfort her, so strong he had to dig his fingers into the tree to hold himself in sound of angry voiced drew his attention to the first floor, where Isabella's parents continued to argue.

"It's Isabella's fault!" the woman screamed, her voice hysterical. "She did this! Her!"

The man stepped away from the woman, and lifted his chin upward. Edward mimicked his motion in time to see Isabella wrap her arms tightly around her waist, her shoulders shaking as though she were crying.

Edward moved to step closer as a twig snapped to his right. He pushed up against the tree as close as possible as a small girl that resembled Isabella passed the sidewalk behind him. She moved up the driveway silently and was almost to the front porch when a sound by the tree caught her attention.

She narrowed her eyes and turned her back to the house as Edward slipped around to the other side of the tree, cursing himself for not being able to hold in his sneeze for a few seconds more.

"Who's there?" Alice called, her eyes darting between the tree and the house where she could hear her parents screaming at one another.

Alice moved down one step, then another. Edward, afraid of getting caught, pushed off the tree and sprinted down the street. Blood roared in his ears as adrenaline pumped through his veins. His getaway was so quick he missed the sound of Isabella's door as it slammed open, her cries penetrating the night as Charlie raised his belt and lashed it across her back and legs over and over again.

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**A/N**

**So I need to fix a gross injustice. Y'all remember when I said I called the big dogs of horror in on this fic? Well it was supposed to be TWO people, but I only listed one because I never heard back from the other person I asked to help me out with this.**

**Turns out, google docs is a whore, because not only did this other person receive the docs, she commented and left me notes and everything...none of which I received. So without further ado, let me bring in my other dark princess DarknNerdy. **

**Yes, I have Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy helping me with this fic. If you wondered before if this fucker was going to crazy town, well that shit should be cleared up now.**

**I have the two baddest bitches in fanfiction horror guiding me through this so...yeah. Hi. We're all fucked. LOL.**

**Love you all for riding this with me. OMG...here we go!**

**PS-thank Packy AKA Little Lovely for the early update, she works me over good.**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	4. The Miserable Mill

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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**Chapter Four**

**The Miserable Mill**

_"My chauffeur once told me that I would feel better in the morning, but when I woke up the two of us were still on a tiny island surrounded by man-eating crocodiles, and, as I'm sure you can understand, I didn't feel any better about it."_

Edward's leg bounced as he chewed on the side of his thumb, his heart sinking further each second the seat next to him remained empty. Mr. Mason called the class to order―business as usual―not bothering to consider why Isabella would be absent on the second day of school.

Edward, however couldn't push aside the nagging feeling that something was terribly wrong, and Isabella's absence the following day did nothing to alleviate that fear, nor did her continued absence the next day as well.

On the fifth day of school as Edward sat waiting for class to start his resolved hardened. If she was absent again, he was going to her house, consequences be damned. Mr. Mason moved to close the door, his own worry beginning to rise for young Isabella when a pale hand shot out and stopped the door from latching shut.

Mr. Mason's eyes widened in surprise as Isabella shuffled into the room and stopped in front of him. Her head was lowered, but from his position her hair couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes or the sickly paleness of her skin.

Isabella out stretched her arm limply toward Mr. Mason, a pink slip gasped between her fingers excusing her from school the previous three days due to illness. Mr. Mason took the note tentatively and told her to be seated so class could begin, his eyes following the stiff way her legs carried her forward.

Edward's heart―that had sank further and further each day Isabella was absent―was now lodged so tightly in his throat he feared he would choke. He watched the interaction between Isabella and Mr. Mason with rapt attention, not wanting to miss a single detail. Which is why he didn't miss the way she flinched when Mr. Mason's hand raised toward her, or the way she practically hobbled to their shared table, her pale, down-turned face twisted into a grimace.

Isabella felt Edward's eyes burning into her the moment she stepped through the door of the classroom. His attention foreign, yet somehow comforting. It pulled at her, making her stomach somersault in ways she didn't understand. For the first time in almost three days Isabella let herself picture his face, the messy handwriting of his note, and the way his smile spread warmth in her chest.

So many times Isabella had to fight to keep Edward's face out of her head, not wanting to taint something so beautiful, so pure with the ugliness she'd endured. She gingerly placed her book on the table and slid carefully into her seat, unable to hold back the hiss of pain the escaped from her parted lips as her still aching flesh connected with the hard surface of the chair.

Edward drummed his fingers impatiently as he waited for her to settle, his entire body taut with anxiety as he came to the realization that she was moving the way she was because she was in pain.

Why was she in pain? What had happened to her? Were the police at her house earlier this week because someone had harmed her? A different kind of emotion surged through Edward then―anger. It slammed into him so violently that his hands involuntarily curled into fists and his teeth ground together.

Edward's reaction startled him. He was unnerved that the very thought of someone causing Isabella harm could cause such strong emotion. Which is why, in his confused state, he didn't consider his actions as he slid his hand toward Isabella and grasped her bicep. The moment his fingers wrapped around her thin frame a flash of heat shot up his arm, the feeling so intense he was convinced when he pulled away the imprint of her skin would be branded into his.

Isabella gasped at the unexpected contact―her eyes widening and her head reflexively whipping toward him as she jerked her arm free―her muscles still contracted from the jolt of electric current shooting up her arm.

Edward's breath stilled in his chest and his body locked into place. His lips parted on their own accord as Isabella's knee-jerk reaction brought them face to face for the first time. Wide brown eyes locked with shell-shocked green ones, and in that instant, the world melted away.

For Isabella there were no rules, no concerns of punishment, only the undeniable feeling that in that moment her world had been altered forever.

Edward tried to swallow around the lump in his throat as his eyes raked over her face, cataloguing every detail and committing it to memory. Even with the dark circles under her eyes and waxy paleness of her skin, she was the most beautiful person he'd ever laid eyes on.

His chest expanded without air―the sensation having nothing to do with breathing―because the feeling stirred from somewhere deeper, from his very core. He shook his head in amazement, wondering if there was a place in the body where the soul slept, where it laid dormant and quiet. Because if so, then not only had his awakened, but reached out and pulled it's other half inside of him.

A throat cleared behind them and suddenly the trance was broken. Isabella quickly looked away, her head bowing in its usual position, but nothing about her was the same. Edward's face pinched and his eyes stung as he watched her retreat back into herself and away from him.

He pulled his notebook in front of him, his hand flying across the paper as he quickly wrote her a note.

_Meet me in the wood shop room after class, by the saw in the back._

Edward looked around the room cautiously, making sure no one was watching before sliding the notebook over to Isabella. She eyed the notebook as he slid it over to her, automatically shaking her head no and squeezing her eyes shut as she read his words, too terrified to think of the consequences if they were caught.

A knot formed in Edward's stomach, worrying that what happened between them was one sided, that she didn't feel the all encompassing pressure in her chest and settling sigh in her soul as he did.

He extended his hand over the table until it was resting over Isabella's pencil and then pulled back, causing the pencil to fall to the floor between them.

"I've got it," he murmured, shifting to the side and letting the top of his head brush against her arm. He grasped the pencil and slowly rose again, but instead of placing it back on top of the table he boldly reached across her thigh and placed it on top of her hand resting there. The movement caused him to shift closer to her ear and he took advantage of the moment, letting his lips feel the softness of her hair as he whispered a quiet please while gently stroking the back of her hand.

Isabella let out a stuttering breath as the warmth of Edward's plea washed over her skin, her will crumbling to dust as his skin once again made contact with hers. With a resigned sigh as both hope and fear rose within her, she scribbled across his notebook two simple words that would seal her fate.

_sixth period._

The rest of the day Edward and Isabella were both filled with anxiety and excitement. Isabella's stomach flipped as her heart and her head battled with one another. In her mind, she knew meeting Edward was the most foolish and reckless thing she'd ever done, and if she were caught the consequences would be the most severe she'd ever endured. But her heart, it stutter-stepped at the very mention of his name, and stilled at the thought of not meeting him. And that was enough, because for the first time in her life, Isabella was going to be selfish.

What were the chances she'd ever have the opportunity to feel this alive again?

The answer made her eyes burn with unshed tears.

Edward waited restlessly for sixth period, anxious to see Isabella, worried that she'd change her mind. He wanted to talk to her, and he wanted _her_ to talk to _him_.

He didn't understand what exactly passed between them, but he wasn't immature or foolish enough to think for one second that Isabella had not altered him in some way. A way that would cause a great deal of pain were she to retreat away from him. Edward reminded himself that he would have to be patient, even though he had a million and one questions bouncing around in his head.

But the most pressing, most concerning issue, was finding out why she had been absent the last three days. Although he was more than certain it was in direct relation to the obvious pain she was in, and that scared the hell out of him.

When the bell rang signaling the end of fifth period Edward was out of his seat and through the door before most of the students had even closed their books. He pushed his way down the hall, not bothering to apologize for his rude behavior, his only thought was not wasting a single second he could spend with Isabella.

His heart beat double time as he made his way to the very back of the room. He wasn't worried about getting caught, no one had used this classroom since Mr. Banner, the woodshop teacher, passed away last year. In a town as small as Lewisburg it was difficult to lure new teachers to the area.

Edward pulled a canvas cover from one of the machines and spread it on the floor, hoping that the added cover of being hidden from the windows would make her more comfortable, more likely to open up. He dropped his bag to the floor and leaned against the wall opposite of the door, and then he waited.

Isabella tried to keep her hand from trembling as she wiped the tiny bead of sweat that had formed over her brow. She could feel the intense, malicious glare from Alice burning into the side of her face. Fifth period was the only class she shared with Alice and it was filled with extreme anxiety.

Isabella worried over how she would get to the wood shop room after class since it was in the opposite direction of her sixth period study hall, but in the same direction of Alice's gym class.

She could always linger, go to the bathroom and wait, but the idea of being caught walking the halls after classes began terrified her.

Alice cocked her head to the side as she stared intently at her sister. Something was going on with her, she was more fidgety and nervous than usual. Alice wondered if she'd done something today to cause trouble. The thought made her lips twist into a hateful smirk.

It wasn't that Alice hated her sister, she was quite grateful for her actually. Because ever since Isabella's eighth birthday, when their mother drunkenly came to the conclusion that Isabella was the reason her twin brother, Emmett, was stillborn, Alice was no longer the object of their anger.

While Charlie and Renee still blamed Alice for shattering their dreams and ruining their young lives, those reason paled in comparison to Isabella's crime of murdering their only son.

The first time Alice witnessed Renee slap her sister across the face, watched the blood spray from her mouth and drip from Isabella's chin, it was not with sadness or distress. No, the only emotion Alice felt was sheer relief, and she knew in that moment she'd do everything in her power to make sure it was never her blood that was spilled again.

Isabella's fate be damned.

Isabella doodled on the paper in front of her, straight lines and curves, boxes and circles, twists and turns. She suddenly had an idea. She thought about her daily escapes to the library, how there was a side door next to the bathrooms she could exit out of and cut across the quad outside to the wood shop room without crossing paths with Alice.

Her shoulders sagged a bit and her heart rate leveled out even as butterflies erupted in her stomach, relief and anticipation dancing together in excitement. She didn't know why it seemed so important to Edward that she meet him, nor did she know what to expect. She only knew that she wanted to find out, badly.

Alice slipped out of her seat and glided over to Isabella, peering over her shoulder at the notebook she'd been staring at so intently only to be disappointed to find nothing more than random shapes.

Isabella jumped when she felt hot breath fan across her cheek and the low dangerous sound of her sister's voice hissing in her ear.

"You're up to something little sister, I know it. I'll be watching you." And with one last glare Alice swept out of the room and down the hall.

Isabella remained frozen in her seat, the pencil in her hand snapping in two as her muscles spasmed causing her hand to curl into a tight ball. With trembling legs she stood from the chair and exited the room, terrified or not, she would not disappoint Edward. She would not leave him waiting.

Edward tapped his foot, yanked at his hair, and chewed on his lip as he waited for Isabella to come into view. He looked down at his watch and sighed, realizing no more than a couple of minutes had passed―he needed to calm down.

Just as he considered crossing the room and peeking out into the hallway he heard a light tap coming from behind him. Isabella stood at the back entrance, her teeth worrying her bottom lip as she stared directly at him.

Ms Cope took one final pull from her cigarette and tossed it behind the bushes where she kept a bucket hidden for her butts. She turned to head back inside when movement to her right caught her attention. She watched curiously as Isabella, the quiet introverted student who rarely spoke, hurried across the quad toward the back of the wood shop.

Her eyes widened in surprise when the back door swung open and Edward Cullen stepped into the doorway. Her jaw dropping when Isabella timidly reached out and clasped his extended hand, blinding smiles on both their faces.

Ms Cope wrestled with indecision, the teacher in her knowing she should not turn her head and look the other way, but the compassionate side of her that held a soft spot for the girl who reminded her so much of herself at a young age won out.

Good for her, Ms Cope thought with a smile as she retreated back into the library. She may have something to contribute to the conversation in the teacher's lounge over lunch Monday after all.

"You came." Edward smiled, his grip tightening around her hand as he pulled her into the room.

Isabella ducked her head, not because she was afraid to look him in the eye, but because of the sudden wave of shyness that swept over her. Edward tugged her over to the canvas and eased them both onto the floor, not missing the way she winced as they sat indian style across from one another, their knees touching.

"What happened?" he asked, completely ignoring his previous pep talk to himself about taking things slow.

Isabella was silent for a second and Edward worried she wasn't going to speak until she drew in a deep breath and exhaled heavily.

"You wouldn't understand. _I_ don't understand," she murmured, her heart thundering in her chest at the thought of trying to explain what a miserable existence her life was. How completely twisted and cruel her family was, and how they blamed her for the death of her twin brother.

Surely he would be appalled. And he would leave.

Edward saw the uncertainly flicker across her features, her large brown eyes darting nervously to his then away again. Boldly he lifted his hand to her face, the pads of his fingers skimming the swell of her cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of her brow before sliding into her hair and pushing it from her face.

"Hey," he said, his voice soft and gentle, matching her own, "you can trust me. I know we don't know one another, but you have to feel this." He let his fingers fall from her hair, and sweep down her arm until his fingers threaded through hers. A pulsing energy passed between their connected palms, a warmth crawling up their arms and spreading through their chests, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

"What is that?" Isabella asked in amazement, her lips parted in awe. Nothing hurt, there was no fear, no cold numbness of resignation, just complete and utter contentedness. The feeling pure, untainted.

"I don't know, but I've never felt anything like it before. I don't ever want it to stop," he confessed, leaning forward and ducking his head until their eyes locked, the sincerity reflected in his gaze unmistakable.

"Me either," she admitted, her tightened throat making her words rough and thick.

Edward's eyes swept to Isabella's exposed shoulder that he had pushed her hair over, an angry purple welt peeking out from under her top.

"Isabella," he gasped, her name coated with anguish as he reached up and pushed the edge of her shirt aside, revealing a bruise with no end.

Her eyes fell shut as she reached for his hand and clasped it in hers. She pulled it away from her injured shoulder and placed their joined hands just above her heart as silent tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Can we...can we just be here today? I promise to tell you, but...for just today I want to forget." Her plea was followed by a choked "please" that Edward could not deny, although every fiber in his being said to do so.

"Monday?"

"Monday," she echoed.

"Well then," he sighed in surrender, unhappy he would receive no answers today, but unable to deny the relief of spending time with her, "tell me your favorite book."

She smiled and dropped their joined hands to her lap, refusing to break the connection between them. "That's easy. _Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events_."

Edward wrinkled his nose and chuckled. "Really? I haven't read it, but I know the premises. It seems so depressing, the entire series those children are met with one tragedy after another, chased the entire time by that evil uncle of theirs."

Isabella smiled sadly and Edward's stomach dropped as his words registered in his head.

"Yeah," Isabella agreed quietly. "I can relate to the Baudelaires."

For Edward, Monday suddenly became too soon and too far away all at once.

* * *

**A/N**

**Big thanks to my girls Raggdoll Of Twilight and DarknNerdy. **

**And thanks to all of you guys for sticking this out with me! **

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	5. The Austere Academy

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**The Austere Academy **

"_Friends can make you feel that the world is smaller and less sneaky than it really is."_

"I'm going to my room," Edward muttered, stomping up the stairs as his parents, Carlisle and Esme, stared at him in bewilderment.

"What's gotten into him?" Carlisle grunted as Edward disappeared, agitation clear on his face.

"Maybe it's a girl," Esme whispered.

Carlisle raised a brow in understanding and nodded his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I think you may be right."

"Well, I hope she gives him a chance, he's been nearly unbearable this weekend with his huffing and puffing," Esme laughed, patting Carlisle's arm and moving into the kitchen to start dinner.

Carlisle couldn't have agreed more.

Edward kicked off his shoes and fell face first onto the bed, his entire body taut with anxiety. He couldn't seem to stop his mind from wandering to Isabella. What she was doing, if she was okay, if she would come to school on Monday with more bruises. If she would be there at all.

He growled in the back of his throat at the idea of her not being at school on Monday. The thought of having to go another day without seeing her, and the possible reasons behind her absence, were almost too much to bear.

The root of the matter was...he missed her. He knew she had somehow changed something inside of him and he was strangely at peace with it considering he'd never had feeling for a girl beyond a crush. What he hadn't expected however, was the ache in his chest at being away from her. Edward knew there was no way just spending time with her during Biology and the stolen hour they shared in the empty woodshop classroom while they both ditched study hall would be enough.

He wasn't exactly sure what would be enough, but the current arrangement certainly wasn't it. He thought about going back to her house, seeing if he could catch a glimpse of her, or better yet catch her outside so he could hear her voice.

As much as the idea kicked his heart rate up, fear kept him away; fear of what he may see and what he may do were he to witness someone hurting Isabella. He knew there was no way he'd be able to restrain himself from defending her, and he was more than a little certain, if anything, it would only make matters worse.

Plus, Isabella had promised to tell him everything, and he wanted to give her that, he wouldn't take that away from her. But it didn't mean he hated it any less, nor had he been the least bit pleasant to be around.

Edward sighed and looked over at his clock on the nightstand. It was just after five on Sunday afternoon and he needed a distraction. He grabbed the book he'd picked up at the library off the nightstand and opened it to the first page, shaking his head at how desperately he wanted to know every single detail about Isabella, even her favorite books. At least it should keep him somewhat occupied until he could see her tomorrow.

Alice sat at the kitchen table, books spread out before her giving the impression she was working on homework, but her focus was not on her studies. Her attention was solely locked on her sister who was quietly making dinner.

Something was different about her. Her posture was the same, her mute-like behavior unchanged, but there was...something. Isabella turned slightly to grab a bowl to her left and Alice gasped when she caught a glimpse of her face.

"Are you..._smiling_?" Alice chuckled darkly, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms over her chest.

Isabella's shoulders tensed, her hand stilling over the bowl she'd reached for, any traces of the smile Alice commented on completely gone.

"I don't know what you're up to," Alice whispered sweetly, "but I will find out. Don't doubt that."

Alice slammed her book shut and gathered her things before waltzing out of the kitchen, a smug smile still on her face.

Isabella let out a heavy breath, chastising herself for getting lost in her head. She'd tried to not let her mind wander to thoughts of Edward, but it was proving to be impossible. Every time she was idle, when she wasn't up to her elbows in chores, his face lingered in her mind.

The downside to this, of course, was that she couldn't keep a smile off her face. For most people smiling wasn't a bad thing, but not in her house. _Nothing good could come from being happy_, and Alice's proved Isabella's thought with her comment earlier.

The upside, however, was that in her need to keep herself distracted, she had cleaned every room in the house, and her parents had let her be. Not that she expected it to last, but with her previous injuries still healing, she was grateful for the reprieve..

But at night, when she was securely locked in her room, there was no need for restraint, no need to keep her smile from becoming so wide her cheeks ached. Not that the ache in her cheeks could compare to the ache in her chest, she thought, climbing into bed later that night.

Isabella had made it through the weekend unscathed, but tomorrow when she faced Edward, she would have to face a different kind of punishment. She would have to watch his face as she divulged things about her life that she never thought she'd share with another living soul. It was both terrifying and exhilarating.

But against all reason, against every instinct she'd ever been taught while living with the monsters she called family, she trusted him. She more than trusted him, she believed in him. And because of that she was putting aside all of her doubts and insecurities and jumping in with both feet. She trusted him to be there to catch her.

The next day, Biology passed with stolen touches under the table, sly secret smiles, and silly notes scratched in the lines of the notebook paper in front of them. Both Edward and Isabella were so wrapped up in their own world, that they failed to notice the curious glances from a few of the other students in the classroom.

Interesting, thought Mr. Masen as he watched Edward and Isabella gather their books at the end of class. Both seeming to linger just a little longer than necessary, their not-so-discreet shared looks of longing as they parted ways at the door reminding him of his first love. Yes, very interesting indeed.

Alice watched Isabella all through class, much like she had last week and over the weekend, but this time Isabella was prepared. She wouldn't jeopardize the bond forming between her and Edward before it even had a chance to truly begin, so she schooled her features. She made sure all traces of the warm glow that had lingered on her skin from Edward's touch was gone, replaced with indifferent melancholy. The now bright and colorful world around her morphing back into dull, depressing gray. It was easier than expected; all she had to do was think of home.

Alice frowned in disappointment as she watched her sister's hunched form slide out of her seat at the end of class, her face drawn, blank. Had she been mistaken? Huffing, she grabbed her things and pushed past Isabella, knocking her into the wall before storming down the hall.

Isabella grinned, small and sly as she moved toward study hall, before disappearing out the side door.

Ms Cope hugged the side of the building as she eagerly waited to see if young Isabella would be slipping into the abandoned classroom with Edward again. She chuckled quietly as she watched Isabella dart across the quad, her laugh morphing into a sigh when the back door opened and Edward stepped out, his arms wrapping around Isabella in a sweet embrace.

No, Ms Cope thought as she lit a cigarette, she would not be sharing this bit of gossip over lunch in the teachers lounge after all.

"Hey," Edward exhaled, flexing his arms to pull her closer, holding her tighter. He froze for the briefest of moments when he realized what he'd done, but relaxed immediately when Isabella wound her arms around his back and pushed her face into his chest.

"Hi," she echoed in return.

As wonderful at it was to see each other in Biology, to touch freely and be close, nothing, _nothing_, compared to the feeling of their bodies fully pressed together. And for the first time since they'd left this very room, they felt the ache inside of them fade away.

Edward pulled Isabella over to the canvas on the floor, leaning his back against the wall and tucking her into his side. She rested her head on his shoulder and he kept his arm wrapped around her.

They talked about their weekend, laughing at how similar their moods mirrored one another. Isabella smiled and blushed as Edward confessed he'd started reading the books she loved so he could feel closer to her. He reacted in kind as she told him she'd thought about him almost constantly.

Their conversation stayed light and easy until Edward could no longer ignore the pink elephant sitting in the middle of the room. With a resigned sigh Isabella slid away from the warmth of Edward's body and moved to face him. She needed a little space so she could keep her mind clear, and she wanted to see his face, be able to look into his eyes, when she told him about her miserable existence.

Edward sat stone still as he listened to Isabella's story unfold. He kept his hands tucked into his sides so she wouldn't see the way they were clenched into tight fists. Rage surged through him as he remembered the dark bruise on her shoulder, the angry red mark on her elbow, each injury from a separate incident.

And that was only in the span of a week.

"We have to tell someone," Edward demanded as he reached forward and pulled Isabella into his lap, turning her to the side so he could still see her face.

Isabella shook her head sadly, her voice coated with defeat as she spoke. "This is a small town Edward, everybody knows everybody's business here. If people don't already know, then they are too absorbed in their own lives to notice or care. Plus," she shrugged, a single tear sliding down her cheek, "it's kind of hard to report a crime to the police when your mother is sleeping with the sheriff."

Edward's mouth fell open as he stared at her in shock. "But, your father still lives with you! I saw―"

"Saw what?" Isabella breathed, her eyes wide as her heart thundered in her chest.

Edward looked down, his face heating as he realized it was his turn to confess a few secrets of his own. Isabella's jaw went slack as she listened to Edward recount his nighttime trip to her house because he was unable to get her off his mind.

For the first time in her life, Isabella found herself grateful for Alice. Because had Alice not come home when she did, Edward would have been witness to the way her father beat and abused her. Isabella's breaths came short and choppy as the image grew in her mind, it was one thing for her to tell him, but to have him see it first hand with his own eyes?

She shuddered.

Edward gripped Isabella tighter as the image also became clearer in his head, and he wondered, would he have stayed back? Would he have called for help? Would it have made it worse? Without thinking he dipped his chin and pressed his lips softly to her still-bruised shoulder. No, he was glad he hadn't seen what happened, the thought of it being worse than it was completely unimaginable.

"Can't you leave? Is there no one?"

"And go where?" Isabella thought about Officer Dwyer's offer, her entire body stiffening with fear. "Sometimes," she said, her voice hesitant, "how does that saying go...you're better off with the devil you know?"

Edward's brows furrowed, his eyes burning into Isabella, searching for the answer to the riddle behind her words, but already knowing he didn't really want to know the answer at all.

The bell rang causing them both to startle. Isabella's eyes darted to the door, her fear that Alice may be lurking somewhere causing her hands to tremble.

Edward smiled softly and raised his hand to her face, letting his fingers brush gently over the apple of her cheek before leaning forward and ghosting his lips in the same fashion.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered.

"Tomorrow."

Isabella pulled herself from the comfort of his body, keeping their clasped hands connected for as long as possible before letting her fingers slip from his. With a longing sigh Isabella turned and moved for the door, her chest already aching from their lost connection and she hadn't even left the room.

"Wait," Edward called, jumping to his feet and stepping behind her. He wrapped his arms protectively around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest, his lips brushing over her ear as he leaned in close and spoke, his voice raw and full of emotion. "Please be safe. Please."

She nodded, her nose burning and her eyes stinging as she tried to make him a promise that she had no way of keeping. "I'll do my best," was her choked reply.

But Isabella wasn't able to keep her promise, because the moment she made it home Renee greeted her at the door with a stinging slap to the face, a smug Alice leaning against the door frame behind her.

"Where have you been?" Renee spat, her eyes glazed and drunk from too little sleep and too much vodka.

"I came straight home," Isabella whimpered, her hand cradling her cheek.

"Then how did Alice beat you home? Huh? What were you doing? Were you looking for Phil?" Renee's voice was sharp and menacing, her words slicing through Isabella like a razor blade dragging across soft, delicate skin.

"Of course not! I don't know how she beat me. Did she leave early?" Isabella's eyes darted to Alice whose entire frame stiffened. Renee, too, stilled as she slowly turned her attention to her eldest daughter, her other creation of a marriage she never wanted to a man she didn't love.

Trapped, Renee thought bitterly, by two parasites she'd rather have died giving birth to. Instead she died a little every day by having to look into the youthful faces that mirrored her own once upon a time.

"Alice," Renee sang, pulling a lighter from her pocket and flicking it open as she raised it to the cigarette pinched between her lips, "did you lie to your mother?"

"N-no," Alice stuttered, her eyes wide as she watched her mother stalk closer. She let her gaze drift to Isabella in disbelief, shock momentarily numbing her from the pain of the lit cigarette Renee was pressing into her forearm.

Alice's screams echoed off the walls as she tried to pull free from the searing pain of the fire, a sadistic smile spreading across Renee's face as her daughter continued to struggle.

Isabella watched in horror, her mind and body conflicted. Should she run? Should she help Alice? In the end would either let her escape Renee's wrath? No, Isabella thought as she remained motionless, her head bowing forward to keep from watching the scene unfold in front of her, there was no point in running.

Alice burned with rage as she watched her sister bow her head, knowing she'd receive no help from her pathetic excuse of a sister today or any day for that matter. Alice knew that Isabella was hiding something, and it was something big. She would find out and when she did, the pain Alice felt as her mother yanked her head back and stuck the still burning cigarette to her neck would be nothing compared to what Isabella would feel.

The thought made her smile, even as the pain caused her to fade in and out of consciousness.

Time passed in waves of bitter blackness and blissful brightness. Warm September faded into cool October, the days slipping by like falling leaves clinging to the last bit of life from the large oak trees. And like the changing colors of the leaves, Edward watched as Isabella's ever present bruises turned from dull purples to muted yellows―only to bloom all over again―a fresh new set, from the hands of dead, dark souls.

Alice seethed with hate as little changes became more evident in Isabella's demeanor. Alice searched Isabella's room, watched her at school, and made sure that at home Isabella never missed punishment for her sins―real or imagined.

What Alice failed to realize was, she would never catch Isabella. The same hour she refused to spend chasing her sister was the same hour she indulged in her own secret.

But unlike Isabella, who was wrapped in the warm protective arms of her love, Alice would stare longingly at the new gym teacher fresh out of college. The new teacher who had to look away from the girl's intense gaze, even though he wanted nothing more than to kiss her breathless.

Edward's finger traced the slope of Isabella's nose as they lay stretched out on the floor, Isabella on her back and Edward propped up on his side so he could look down at her peaceful face of closed eyes and a small serene smile. His stomach fluttered as he thought about how in love he'd fallen with the beautiful girl beside him. So strong, so fragile, so beautifully unbroken against all odds, against all the injustice and cruelty the cards of fate had dealt her.

"Bella," Edward whispered with a smile of his own.

Isabella's eyes eyes fluttered open dreamily, her body and mind more relaxed, more at peace, than she'd ever known.

"What did you call me?" She smiled, her fingers brushing the soft auburn locks away from his face.

"I called you Bella. It's appropriate, you know? That your name would mean beautiful."

"Edward?" Isabella murmured, her hand sliding around the back on his neck, her fingers tightening as their eyes burned into each other.

"Yeah?"

"Will you kiss me?" She drew in a lungful of air before breathing out a quiet, "please."

Edward's tongue swept along his bottom lip, his throat tightening as anticipation and nerves caused his entire body to tingle. Little by little he moved closer, the air thickening, covering them in a soft protective blanket even as it popped and crackled with need.

Isabella wondered if her heart would stop altogether as Edward moved close enough for her to feel his warm breath fan over her face. Edward's eyes drifted shut as the tip of his nose brushed against Isabella's, the bow of her top lip grazing his as he tilted his head up once, then down, drowning in the intimate feel of their bodies touching so innocently, yet so utterly life changing.

And then it happened. Soft and slow at first, tentative movements of delicate flesh exploring and caressing, exhaled sighs and light nips before Edward slid his tongue over her parted lips and molded his mouth to hers.

Edward moved his arm around Isabella's back and pulled her close, passion igniting between them as hands clutched fabric and fingers strained to pull warm bodies closer. A moan vibrated against Edward's chest and he didn't know if it came from him or Isabella, but it set his body on fire as he gently sucked her bottom lip into his mouth before pulling away slightly.

"Oh God," Isabella panted, both of their faces flushed as they gasped for air. She pulled him closer once more until his forehead rested against hers and slowly opened her eyes, blinking until he came into focus.

"That was..."

"I know." He finished, pressing his lips to hers once more, his body almost vibrating as all of the emotions inside of him swelled to the point where he was sure he'd burst.

"I want to tell you what I'm feeling, but I can't find the words."

"Irrevocably changed," Edward offered, because he knew he'd never be the same, and good or bad, he'd just bound himself to Isabella for as long as he was alive.

"You are my life now," Isabella vowed, the unwavering sincerity of her words leaving no room for doubt.

And Edward had none. Not about her, not about them, not ever again.

* * *

**A/N**

**Sigh. Do y'all know what makes me almost as sad as poor Isabella?Not having time to do review replies. But I have a confession to make. See the plan was to be finished with this story before I started posting so I'd have lots of time to do replies. What I didn't account for was the fact that I'd be out of town 8 days this month. I have fallen soooo far behind. Over the last five days, I have written nearly 13k of this story, 4k of those yesterday alone.**

** Yes, I know, I'm insane, we established that a LONG time ago. LOL**

**The point to my rambling is that I refuse to not do what I said I was going to do, which means I've been spending every free second writing. But please know that your reviews, well, they make it worth driving myself nuts to get this finished and posted like I promised. So feel free to drop me a line!**

**Raggdoll of Twilight helped me soooo much with this chapter, she's amazing and I am so grateful to have her. DarknNerdy, holy hell, if I ever need suggestions on how to kill Alice, well, her cup runneth over, with Alice's blood. S'all I'm saying.**

**And lastly, for those of you who don't FB or Twitter I've been asked to pass along word about the Twific Meetup in Chicago this coming June. It looks super fun and there are lots of lovely ladies going that I'd really like to meet, so chances are if you decide to go I'll probably see you there. I'll be the one doing something entirely inappropriate. You can check it out at www dot twificmeetup dot com.**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	6. The Ersatz Elevator

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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**Chapter Six**

**The Ersatz Elevator**

"_To hear the phrase 'our only hope' always makes one anxious, because it means that if the only hope doesn't work, there is nothing left, and that is never pleasant to think about, however true it might be."_

Edward paced around the table in the woodshop room as he waited for Isabella, his need to see and touch her greater than usual after being separated from her over Thanksgiving break.

"I want to take you somewhere," Edward said, kissing her quickly as he pulled her in from the cold; his cheeks flushed, his eyes wide and excited.

Isabella's smile faltered as she processed his words, squeezing his hand gently before she spoke. "You know I can't risk going out anywhere. Someone might see."

Edward smiled, nervous energy causing him to bounce on his toes. He refused to believe they couldn't find a way. "What about at night?"

Isabella's eyes widened, her mouth falling open in shock. "You want me to ask my parents if I can leave the house? The only time I'm allowed out is when I'm going to school or to the grocery store when they are both too drunk to go themselves. And even then they'd know if I was gone longer than necessary!"

By the time Isabella finished speaking her breaths were coming in short, choppy pants, nearing the edge of hyperventilating.

"Shh, Bella, honey, calm down," Edward soothed, pulling her to the floor and cupping her cheek with his hand. He leaned his face in close, his gaze soft as he stared into her eyes. "We'll figure something out."

They were both silent for several moments, the anxiety and the exhilaration over what Edward was suggesting caused both their bodies to vibrate with energy.

"Is there a way out of your house without them knowing?"

"Like sneaking out?" Isabella squeaked, terrified and excited all at once.

"Yeah."

She dropped her eyes to the floor, her shoulders slouching in defeat. "Edward, they lock me in my room at night."

Edward sucked in a sharp breath, his mind blanking for a moment as he considered the possibilities of something happening in that house and Isabella being trapped in her bedroom with no means to escape. He shuddered and pulled her closer, determined to find a way for her to get out for an entirely different reason now.

"What about your window?"

"I'm in the second floor," she pointed out.

"I know, but you have the roof of your porch right under your window. You could climb out on it and walk to the edge so no one would see."

"But how would I get down, and then I'd have to find a way to climb back up. I don't know, Edward," she said nervously, the adrenaline burning out and fading, excitement replaced with fear. Never had Isabella considered something so bold, so risky, so defiant. And never had Isabella wanted something more in her life than to have time alone with Edward, to be truly alone.

"If I promise to take care of that part, if I promise to get you down and back up, will you do it? Will you come out with me?"

Isabella stared at his eager face, so hopeful and pleading to spend time with her. He could have any girl he wanted, but he didn't want just any girl, he wanted Isabella. Because he belonged to her every bit as much as she belonged to him.

"Okay," she whispered, a smile lighting up her eyes.

They spent the next several days working out every detail, making sure they considered every possibility, every situation that could arise, anything that could cause her harm in any way.

The pair decided to wait until the weekend, when Charlie and Renee would be at their drunkest, making the possibility of a late night checkup slim to none. With a final sweet kiss, Edward smiled as he whispered against Isabella's lips that he would see her later that night.

The sound of her mother singing loudly with the old record player down the hall greeted Isabella as she walked through the door. She sucked in a sharp breath and cautiously moved into the kitchen to start dinner.

Renee swayed in front of the full length mirror in her bedroom, a lazy smile tugging at her lips as she remembered the feel of Phil's hands as they gripped and tugged at her body, pulling her closer, wanting her more, craving her. The way it should be, the way it should have been all those years ago before she found out she was pregnant and tied to Charlie for the rest of her life.

With a lit cigarette dangling between her fingers and a half empty bottle of vodka in her other hand she stumbled into the kitchen. She watched as Isabella moved around the kitchen, her long dark hair falling down her back, thick and beautiful, much like Renee's had been at that age.

Isabella tried to ignore the presence of her mother, but she could feel her eyes lingering on her, watching her for a misstep, any small mistake so she would have an excuse to unleash whatever dark thoughts were swimming around in her alcohol-saturated mind. Not that she needed an excuse, if she failed to find something to justify her actions, she'd simply make something up.

But Renee _had_ found something to focus on, and she smiled oh-so-wide as she moved to the kitchen drawer and grabbed a pair of scissors. She walked casually over to Isabella, her steps sure and slow, like a bad guy in a movie that no matter how fast the victim ran, he was always right there. Except this was no movie, and the victim had nowhere to run.

Isabella saw a flicker of silver out the corner of her eye as Renee approached her from behind. She turned her head just a bit to try and get a glimpse of what her mother had pulled from the drawer, her heart stopping when she saw the pointed end of the scissors coming toward her.

For the first time ever, Isabella feared for her life. So many times in the past she prayed it would be over, that it would end. Hoped that Renee would have one drink too many and instead of her hand landing the blow to Isabella's face it would be the blunt end of a liquor bottle.

But now, Isabella had something, someone to live for, and dying, slipping away from this world and into the next was the last thing she wanted.

"Oh, Isabella," Renee tsked, blowing a plume of smoke into the air. "Your ends look a little…fried." Renee grabbed the bottom of Isabella's hair and pressed the ends to her cigarette, the smell of burning hair permeating the air instantly.

Isabella let out a broken sob as Renee's intentions became clear, both relief and sadness washing over her at once. It's just hair, Isabella reminded herself as Renee started speaking again.

"I think you need a haircut since you've neglected it so much."

She lifted the scissors and cut the very ends, just a little, wanting to draw things out as long as possible. She wanted to watch Isabella's face crumple as she cut her hair to the scalp bit by bit.

"Renee, baby, I think I left my…" Phil trailed off as he walked into the kitchen and took in the scene in front of him.

Renee turned her head sharply, the cruel smile on her face melting into a genuine one at the sight of her lover.

"What are you doing?" Phil asked, trying to keep the edge from his voice. It was becoming harder and harder to stand by and watch his Isabella be abused by her deadbeat, piece of shit father and worn out drunken mother. Phil shuddered as he thought about having to touch Renee and whisper promises of love and loyalty. The only thing that made it easier was closing his eyes and picturing sweet Isabella under him, above him, belonging to him.

And in all of those visions, never once had Phil pictured his beautiful Isabella with her hair hacked off like a fucking homeless person.

"Isabella's hair looks like shit. I can hardly stand to look at it. So, I'm not going to."

Phil pulled in a calming breath and put on his most charming smile, knowing the best way to distract Renee was to shower her with attention. Then he'd slip something in her vodka to knock her out so she'd forget about her idiotic plan.

"I can give you something else to look at baby. You don't need to waste your time on someone so beneath you," he cooed, gliding across the kitchen, his body radiating confidence and swagger.

Isabella held stone still as her mother giggled and set the scissors on the countertop, and then she held still a little more after Phil and Renee exited the room. Isabella didn't understand why Phil always distracted Renee from whatever punishment she was inflicting when he was around, but she was sure whatever his motives were they were anything but pure.

The rest of the evening went without incident; Phil worked Renee over until Isabella was the last thing on her mind, before slipping a couple of sleeping pills into her bottle of vodka and knocking her out cold. Charlie came home sometime later, his mood momentarily lifted by the smell of his favorite meal, the half-full bottle left by the bed, and the fact that Renee was passed out before he even got home.

Unaware of the reason Renee hadn't finished the bottle of vodka Charlie soon followed Renee into a state of oblivion after locking his daughters into their bedrooms for the night.

Isabella paced her bedroom as the time she was to meet Edward drew closer and closer. When the clock finally read midnight, she slipped on her shoes and crept to the window. Flicking the latch she raised the barrier carefully, breathing a sigh of relief that all of the greasing she's done the past few days had made the motion virtually soundless.

With shaky legs she crawled out the window and onto the roof of the front porch. She turned and shut the window, only leaving it up a crack before carefully walking to the edge at the side of the house. The rotted shingles snapped and gave under her feet, each one making Isabella's heart leap in her throat in fear of waking someone or falling through to the porch.

Just as she reached the edge, the metal tips of a ladder appeared in front of her. Edward scurried up the the ladder, eager to see Isabella, to make sure she was alright and help her down from the dilapidated roof.

Without speaking they both smiled as soon as their eyes met. He reached out a hand toward her and grasped her fingers tightly. With careful steps he led her down the ladder and to the ground. Edward picked up the medium-sized ladder and then the two took off silently around the block where Edward's rarely driven car waited for them.

Shoving the ladder in the back he jogged around the car and opened Isabella's door, giving her a brief kiss before shutting it quietly behind her and moving to the other door and crawling inside the cab as well.

"Hey, Bella." Edward grinned, excitement rattling his bones at the sight of her in his car, truly alone for the first time since they'd met.

Isabella smiled shyly at the nickname Edward had given her. She wanted to be beautiful for him, he made her _feel_ beautiful. Her mind flickered to earlier, when Renee had nearly cut all her hair off, but she quickly shook off the memory. She wasn't going to waste a second thinking about those wretched people, not while she was with Edward.

"So where are we going?" She answered in return, still unable to believe he hadn't folded and told her.

"You'll see." Edward smirked, trying to hold back his laugh at the pitiful pout that had formed on her lips.

Edward maneuvered his car through the streets of Lewisburg and up the winding roads of the park to the caves where his father had been working since they arrived. Isabella's eyes widened as she realized where he was taking her. Over the last couple of months Edward had told her about how his father studied caves. Speleology he'd called it.

"C'mon." Edward smiled, jumping out of the car and racing around to Isabella's side before she had a chance to get her door completely open.

She smiled up at him and took his hand, hugging her body close to his as they made their way inside. She stared slack-jawed at the beauty around her, distracted only by the enthusiasm in which Edward spoke of their surroundings.

If it wasn't clear before, there was little room for doubt now that Edward would follow in his father's footsteps. A lump formed in Isabella's throat as she thought about Edward leaving for college. What would she do? Where would she go? Could she leave?

Edward turned to look at Isabella after he'd called her name twice without an answer. "Hey, Bella, what's wrong?"

Her automatic response was to tell him nothing. That she was fine. But she had never lied to Edward and she didn't want to start now. So with a deep breath she told him her fears, that she worried what would happen once they graduated. What that would mean for them and their futures.

With a relieved smile he pulled her to the wall of the cave and settled on the ground with his arms wrapped around her shoulder.

"Don't you get it?" he asked, his eyes soft and his voice pleading. "Where I go, you go. Do you really think I would leave you? Do you think that I would go anywhere without taking my heart with me?"

Isabella's eyes pricked with tears and her nose burned as she leaned into him, inhaling his warmth and love. "But how? What if they won't let me leave?"

"Then we'll run away," he stated matter-of-factly, his voice sure and confident leaving no room for doubt.

"Do you really think we could?" Isabella asked, a dangerous flicker of hope blooming in her chest.

"Bella, don't you see, we're one of the lucky ones. We didn't have to go searching for our soulmate half our lives, chasing one broken heart away with another. We found each other on the first try, because that's how fate intended things for us. You're not meant to hurt like you are, you're not meant to live among people who have no appreciation for the amazing person you are. You deserve the world, and we're going to have it...together."

Isabella flung her arms around Edward's neck and climbed into his lap, an explosion detonating inside her chest, the doom and gloom and resignation that her life now was the best that it would ever be shattering into a million pieces and replaced by blinding love.

"I love you," she sobbed, kissing his face over and over.

"I love you, too, Bella. Irrevocably changed, right?"

"Irrevocably."

From that night on for the next four weeks, every Friday and Saturday night, Edward and Isabella would drive to the cave where they would spend hours upon hours planning their futures, exploring their bodies, and loving each other without end. Hope had spread it's wings and taken flight that one day soon, Isabella would be free.

A puff of white smoke billowed into the air of the dark room. The only break in the silence was the creaking of the old rocking chair as it glided back and forth accompanied by the occasional pop and crackle of tobacco as Charlie Swan pulled in a lungful of toxic smoke from his cigarette.

He ignored the twinkling Christmas lights strung from his neighbors porch, sickened by the very thought that another Christmas was upon them. He stared across the room with unfocused eyes, the cherry of his cigarette casting an eerie glow over his face, the dark shadows from his brows making his appearance every bit as sinister and deadly as he was.

He thought of his family upstairs, his drunken, bitter wife Renee passed out in an alcohol induced haze and then his two daughters. His mouth twisted into a sneer as his mind lingered at how the birth of those two little bitches ruined his life.

He and Renee had been happy, young and in love with plans to take on the world. Then suddenly Renee had started to pull away, her touches less passionate, her gazes less lingering, her fire less bright.

And then Renee told him she was pregnant and he knew, _he knew_ the reason for her sadness was the baby growing inside of her. He knew Renee was just as broken and sad as he was that their dreams had been shattered and their lives of living wild and free were over.

So like Renee, he hated the child as well, choosing to ignore the way Renee looked at the new police officer on the force, and how even though the baby wasn't born yet she still turned her head when he leaned in for a kiss.

It had to be the baby.

And once Alice was born, a spitting image of her mother, it wasn't love that Charlie and Renee felt. No, it was nothing but hatred. For the first time in almost a year Renee and Charlie had a mutual outlet for their anger, and they used it often.

Almost a year after the birth of Alice, in a drunken daze, Renee stumbled into her bedroom and climbed on top of Charlie. She closed her eyes as she moved above him, picturing not the man under her, but one with sandy-colored hair and bright blue eyes.

Three months later, with a bottle of vodka clutched in her hand, Renee cried over the open toilet seat as she tried to erase the image of two pink lines from her mind. But what Renee wasn't expecting was the news that she was having not one child, but two, one of which was a boy.

Renee stared wide-eyed as Charlie, in a moment of unexpected happiness swooped down and kissed her with all of the passion and vigor of the man she fell in love with. His buoyant mood and doting behavior swept Renee off her feet all over again.

Maybe, Renee thought, things would be okay now. Charlie was once again the man Renee knew and loved. He would never have to know of her love for another man and her desire to leave both him and their child behind.

Even baby Alice was no longer the hated child that had robbed them of all their dreams. On the day Renee went into labor with the twins, Isabella and Emmett, the smiles on their parents faces could have rivaled the sun.

First came baby Isabella, so tiny and fragile with big round eyes and a powerful set of lungs. Charlie smiled wide and Renee's eyes shimmered with tears as she tried to push through the pain.

With a final push baby Emmett came next, and the room fell silent. No ear splitting screams from their beloved baby boy, no cheers and calls of congratulations from the doctors and nurses, only frenzied movements and panicked murmurs.

When the doctor turned his eyes back to the shell-shocked parents the look of pity in his eyes nearly brought Charlie to his knees. Renee choked back a sob as she watched the light fade from her husband's eyes and his shoulders hunch inward.

The once joyous smiles of proud parents, as the wails of their daughter bounced off the walls now, were nothing more than bitter scowls. This is my punishment, Renee thought, for having an affair.

And so it went, Renee drinking herself into a stupor as Charlie retreated into himself once more. And when the handsome officer with the bright blue eyes came around again, she didn't even bother to try and fight her desires. If this was to be her life, she would take whatever happiness she could find.

It was some years later, after a particularly nasty fight with Charlie as they both grieved the anniversary of their son's death, that Renee had an epiphany. She finally understood that she'd given birth to a demon because of her sins, and that demon had stolen the life of her only chance at happiness. And with this epiphany, Isabella's life would forever be changed.

Charlie lifted his eye to the ceiling as the floor above him shifted and settled and he was brought once more into the present. Most who felt the way he did about his children would be bursting with excitement to finally have them of age to send them away, kick them out of his life so he could begin living again.

But not Charlie. The years had left him bitter and vindictive, and the thought of being alone in that house with Renee and her blackened, tainted heart made him want to shove his fist through something.

No, Alice and Isabella would never leave, they would never escape the hell they had made his life. He wouldn't rest until every last trace of light and hope had drained from their eyes.

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**A/N**

**Umm, so I think the ideas of how to kill the Swans are about to get a lot more interesting on the FB thread. Y'all want to join in on that hot mess come on over! LOL**

**Raggdoll and DarknNerdy keep me in line. I probably shouldn't divulge how... ;)**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	7. The Vile Village

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

***Ummm, I was told to issues a violence warning, soooo that's what this is. **

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**Chapter Seven**

**The Vile Village**

"_It was a curious feeling, that something could be so close and so distant at the same time."_

The twinkling Christmas lights bounced off the glass of Isabella's window as she stared out into the dark night. Her breath fogged the glass with each heavy exhale as she waited for the time until she was securely locked in her room and could crawl out the window and fall into Edward's arms again.

As much as Isabella had sworn she would would always tell Edward everything that happened with her parents, she couldn't bear to tell him the way things had deteriorated over the last month. Something had changed, shifted, and she was terrified to think that her actions, the way she was uncontrollably happier, had somehow caused this unfortunate change of events.

Isabella shook her head and willed away the tightening of her throat as the memory of Renee's most recent attack assaulted her memory.

"_What is this?" Renee sneered, her hand wrapped around Isabella's hair as she shoved her face toward the toilet._

_Isabella remained silent, knowing no matter what answer she gave, it would be wrong. _

"_Cat got your tongue, Isabella? You were supposed to clean the bathroom. But I guess you'd rather have idle hands to do the devil's dirty work, huh? Look at this mess," Renee screamed, shoving Isabella's face into the toilet, submerging her into the sparkling water, not a trace of filth to be found._

_Panic seized Isabella, causing her to draw in a lungful of water, her eyes widening as she struggled to pull her face from the watery depths._

"_Are you trying to defy me little girl?" Renee hissed, Isabella's movements causing her to stagger in her drunken state._

_With a quick jerk Isabella pulled herself from the water and took a choking gasp of air, tears streamed from her eyes and mixed with the water dripping from her face._

"_I'll clean it!" Isabella gasped. "I promise I'll clean it! I don't mean to be wicked, I only want to be good!" The words were bitter lies spat from a mouth that had never deserved the tortured life she'd received. But Isabella would say anything...do anything, to make sure she left that bathroom on her own two feet and not in a black plastic bag zipped up tight._

"_Of course you'll clean it," Renee taunted, her mood somewhat lifted by Isabella's compliant reply. Yet anger still pulsed through her because as much as she wanted, as much as she would love to hold Isabella's head under that water until not another breath was drawn she knew she couldn't. Fucking the sheriff could only give her so much leeway, and murder was probably pushing a little too far._

Isabella stiffened at the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs. She moved away from the window and crawled into bed, her heart in her throat as she waited, like every night before, to be locked in her room.

Charlie, in no mood to lay eyes on either of his children locked them both in their rooms without opening their doors. He knew they were inside, they'd never be foolish enough to test him.

Isabella sprung from her bed and dressed quickly, adding an extra layer to keep the cold December weather from biting against her skin. Sliding her hand between the mattresses she pulled out the bookmark she made Edward for Christmas. She felt bad she wasn't able to get him anything like a normal person, but she knew what she shared with Edward was above trivial material things.

Edward bounced from foot to foot, his teeth chattering as he waited for Isabella to climb down the ladder. He never thought he'd be unhappy about having breaks from school, but being away from school meant another day he'd have to go without seeing Isabella, and that was so much worse.

He thought back to the last couple of days, and how'd he managed to keep himself busy while being away from her. A smile spread across his face as he imagined her reaction to what he'd set up at the cave.

His heart leapt in his throat as he watched her climb down the ladder, his hands automatically wrapping around her waist and helping her the rest of the way down, any reason to touch her.

"Merry Christmas, Bella," he whispered, squeezing her body against his as she wound her arms around his neck and popped up on her toes to kiss away the last few days without him. Both sighed at the contact, the feeling of longing that had plagued them both fading away into the cold night and replaced with the warmth of love and light.

"Merry Christmas," Isabella said as she took one of his hands. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever said those words before. A part of her hoped she hadn't, that this, along with so many others things would all be shared with Edward. All of her firsts.

An angry tear rolled down Alice's cheek as she stood to the side of her window and watched her sister being wrapped in the arms of Edward Cullen. The Christmas lights from the neighbors house lit up their faces and Alice didn't bother with trying to tamp down the white-hot jealously bubbling inside of her.

Alice could see from the way Edward looked at Isabella that he was completely in love with her, and that Isabella returned his feelings. Everything made sense now, the changes she'd seen in Isabella lately, her unexplained happiness which only seemed to anger her parents even more―all of it was because Isabella was in love.

Why did Isabella deserve happiness? What had she done in her miserable life to deserve anything like love? A shiver slithered up Alice's spine as she considered what this might mean for her. Would Isabella leave? Would she be able to escape from this hell and move on with her life? What would that mean for Alice?

Images of her bitter, hateful mother flashed through her mind. Alice would once again become the center of all her rage and hate. Because Alice wasn't like Isabella, she was weak, simple minded. Never had Alice considered the possibility of escaping her parents home and living a life on her own. Her fears kept her rooted in the hell that was her life. Just like her parents wanted.

Determination set into Alice's cold heart as she cleared her throat and stepped away from the window. No, Isabella would not leave, she would not find freedom, she would not have that chance at life.

With one last fleeting glance out the window she turned and yelled for her father.

"What's gotten into you?" Isabella laughed as Edward brought their joined hands to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand, his mouth immediately spreading into a wide smile again.

"I have a surprise for you. C'mon." He tugged her hand, pulling her forward into the mouth of the cave.

Once inside Edward turned to face Isabella as he pulled a bandana out of his pocket. He lifted it to her face before hesitating a moment. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life," she answered without missing a beat.

Edward smiled and kissed her before tying the bandana around her eyes and engulfing her in darkness. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his side as he guided her over the uneven terrain toward a smaller cave off to the side.

"Wait here," he breathed against her ear as he released her and jogged to the corner where he fired up the portable generator, the small space instantly coming to light.

Isabella tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Edward to remove her blindfold. She wanted to see his face, she'd been deprived from his beautiful green eyes for several days already, she didn't want to miss a moment more. When the blindfold dropped from her eyes Isabella gasped. Tears sprung to her eyes as she took in the room around her.

Edward smiled proudly, his heart so big it felt as though it would burst as he watched all of the emotions playing across Isabella's face.

"Edward," she whispered brokenly, unable to find any words to express how she felt in that moment.

Inside of the small cave hundreds upon hundreds of twinkling Christmas lights covered the walls of the cave. A small tree toward the back was decorated in lights and tiny ornaments, a present wrapped underneath.

A pallet was on the other side with a dozen fluffy pillows, and in front of it were dishes containing different kinds of food.

"What have you done?" She choked, stepping to him and wrapping her arms around his waist so tight that he coughed for air.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it, I love it so much. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Bella. And I wanted you to have a real Christmas, I wanted our first Christmas together to be special. Just like all of the Christmases we'll have in the future."

"We're together, that already makes it special. But this? There are no words. Thank you. I don't know what I did to deserve it, but I'm so happy fate decided to let me have you. You're everything."

"C'mere," Edward whispered, his voice low and rough as he pulled Isabella over to the pallet he'd made. He was so in love with her that sometimes he felt like it was too much, too big for one person to handle. But it was a challenge that he would do happily forever.

They shared a wonderful Christmas dinner together, compliments of Edward's mother. Even thought Esme didn't understand exactly what was going on with her son, she knew that the stars in his eyes meant the girl he'd been pining over had given him a shot after all.

"I got you something," Edward said, leaning forward and pulling the small gift he'd wrapped earlier from under the tree.

"I have something for you, too," Isabella smiled, happy that she would have something to give him in return.

"Here."

Isabella pulled the gift from his hands, a gasp catching in her throat when she ripped back the paper to find the thirteenth and final book in the Lemony Snicket series. The book she wasn't sure she'd ever get to read.

"It's perfect!" She laughed, her own emotions bursting at the seams.

"I thought we could read it together, here, at night." Edward suggested, the thought of curling up with her and just being together sounded like heaven to him.

"I'd like that, and it will go nicely with your gift." Isabella pulled out the bookmark and handed it Edward who smiled as he accepted it, his eyes immediately brimming with tears as he realized what she'd given him.

It was a handmade bookmark that Isabella had stitched herself, the intricate design of the border a beautiful interwoven mix of deep chocolate brown and the most beautiful jade green. In the center two quotes were inscribed: "_If I know what love is, it is because of you."~Herman Hesse _and_ "I want you for always…days, years, eternities." ~Franz Schubert_

Edward gently placed the bookmark on the floor and turned to Isabella, his body disconnected and grounded all at once, his mind all over the place and completely focused at the same time. With sure hands and a surer heart he reached up and stroked her cheek, not bothering to comment on the twin tears trailing down her face, because he understood. Every emotion that was coursing through her body mirrored his.

"I love you. And in five months, when we graduate, I'm taking you away from here. And then it will be just us. No pain, no sadness, no more monsters. We'll get our happily ever after, how can we not?" Edward whispered, leaning in close until their foreheads were pressed together, their eyes locked.

Isabella didn't want to think of all the horrors Edward would never understand, all of the terrifying things she'd experienced in her life each and every day. Instead she wanted to focus on him, the sincerity of his words, and the overwhelming need she felt to be connected to him in every way.

"Edward?" she whispered, sliding her fingers under the hem of his shirt and letting them drag over his skin at the top of his jeans.

Edward's muscles clenched from the feel of her fingers scratching over his stomach, the urge to be with her in that way, to connect their bodies as one was never far from his mind, but for Isabella, he would wait forever.

Isabella, however, had no such plans as she tugged at the bottom of his shirt and peeled it from his body. Edward's eyes widened as Isabella grasped the bottom of her own shirt and slowly lifted it over her head before dropping it to her side.

"What are you―"

"I want this," Isabella interrupted, her eyes wide and ernest. She flattened her palms over his chest before sliding them up and over his shoulders. She leaned forward until her chest was pressed against his; her lips covering any protest that Edward could form into words instantly.

With sweet kisses and the softest of touches they revealed each other slowly, intimately.

"Are you sure?" Edward asked, his heart lodged in his throat, his body taut with anticipation, and his soul...it wanted only to touch what had always been it's own, to connect with the other half of itself, to be whole for the first time since it'd been placed on this earth.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life. Please, make me yours in every way."

Edward pressed his lips to Isabella's, his hands shaking and his body quivering as he processed what was about to happen. "I've never done this before," he admitted quietly.

"Neither have I," Isabella assured him, pushing her own nerves to the back of her mind and letting her excitement and feelings of rightness burst to the forefront of her mind.

Piece by piece, clothes were removed, the soft glow of the lights reflecting off their bare skin, making their bodies seem angelic and other worldly. Edward rolled over Isabella, his hands sliding over slick skin, heated from the warmth of the lamps he'd placed around the cave earlier.

Edward's fingers trembled as he moved them between her parted thighs, slipping inside and stroking gently. Isabella gasped as her muscles began to tighten and heat flared from the pit of her stomach.

Her back arched, her hands balling into tight fists as the her breathing accelerated and a moan slipped past her lips. She twisted and jerked as her legs clamped together, her entire body tensing for a few brief moments before shuddering slightly and falling limp. Edward watched in amazement as Isabella writhed in his arms, his only thought was that he wanted to make her feel that way everyday for the rest of their lives.

Isabella blinked slowly and pulled Edward closer, her eyes locked with his as she whispered, "I'm ready."

Edward pushed inside of her slowly, the feeling of her body wrapped around his almost too much for him to handle. For Isabella she tried desperately to relax, to not fight against the intrusion of her body. With an apology falling from Edward's lips he pushed once more, breaking the final barrier between them. He kissed her cheek, the salt from her tears coating his lips and making his heart clench. But it wasn't pain that caused tears to fall from Isabella's eyes, although the pain was searing, her tears were from the feeling of absolute love and completeness she felt the moment two became one.

Gasping and shuddering Edward and Isabella whispered promises of forever. The vows floated into the air around them creating a cocoon of hope, swaddling them in blanket of false security.

Hours later, with their hands still joined, Edward led Isabella across her side lawn and placed the ladder against the wall quietly. With a final kiss she ascended the ladder and waved goodbye to Edward as she carefully moved across the porch roof and through her window.

With a smile on his face, Edward grabbed the ladder and jogged back to his car, not realizing the horror awaiting his beloved Isabella.

As soon as Isabella lowered the glass she knew something was wrong. The hairs on the back of neck stood on end and her skin broke out into icy goosebumps. She turned slowly, dread causing the food she'd eaten earlier to rise into the back of her throat.

In the darkness of the room she never even saw the first blow coming.

Pain like Isabella had never known exploded from her face as a strong fist slammed into her nose. Blood sprayed across the pane of the glass as her head whipped to the side. She stumbled, her back colliding with the wall behind her as Charlie came at her again.

He drew his fist back and battered it into her face once more, the crunch of breaking bones causing a vicious smile to split his parted lips, a smattering of Isabella's blood dotting his cheek.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" he demanded, wrapping his hands in her hair and throwing her across the room. Her shoulder slammed in the hardwood floor as the breath was knocked from her body.

Isabella raised her hands to cover her face, blood from her split lip and broken nose dripping down between her fingers and pooling on the floor and she sobbed and moaned from the pain she felt in every inch of her body.

"You sneak out of my house," he yelled, pulling his leg back and kicking Isabella in the stomach with enough force to cause the vomit hovering in the back of her throat to spill onto the floor.

"You disobey my rules," he seethed, kicking her once again, but this time higher. The two ribs his foot slammed into cracking.

"And you run around at night with some boy!" Again he kicked her, stumbling and falling forward until he was on his knees beside her.

He reached out and placed a hand on either side of her face and squeezed until Isabella thought he would crush her skull, and if he could have, he wouldn't have stopped until he did.

Charlie moved closer until his nose was nearly touching hers, his eyes black and filled with rage. "You seem to have forgotten that there are consequences to your actions, Isabella," he hissed, tightening his hand into a tight fist and raising it over her head.

With a dark chuckle his final words caused Isabella's mind to fracture right along with her heart. "I guarantee after tonight, you'll never forget again. You or that boy."

For Isabella, everything went black, her mind shutting down, protecting her from the final four blows her father inflicted on her in his rage filled body.

Disgusted, Charlie pushed away from her unconscious body and rose to his feet. He looked at his hands, a mixture of vomit and blood coating his skin and clothes.

"Did you get her good?"

Charlie glanced over at Renee and shrugged his shoulders as walked into their bathroom to wash the blood from his hands. "Maybe too good. If she doesn't wake up soon you know what to do."

Renee smiled and nodded, malice dancing in her eyes. Several hours later, with soft sunlight filtering into the room, Renee sauntered into Isabella's room to find her in the same position she'd been left, unmoved.

Renee lifted her foot and nudged Isabella before leaning over to see her chest rising from slow, shallow breaths.

"Alice!" Renee yelled, as she moved toward the phone down the hall.

"Yes ma'am?" Alice responded quietly, her throat raw and sore from where Charlie had choked her until she'd nearly passed out. He'd been furious that Alice didn't realize what had been going on.

"Clean up the blood. It's showtime."

With a final nod, Alice turned to her sister's room.

Renee gulped the last of her drink and dialed the number to the hospital. Once connected her entire demeanor changed, her breathing accelerated and her words were hysterical and frightened when she spoke.

"Someone please! I need an ambulance! My daughter, oh God, she's been beaten. She needs help, send someone now! I think..." she gasped, a choking sob heaving from her chest. "I think it was her boyfriend."

* * *

**A/N**

**Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy keep me sane. Of course their version of sane, and everyone else's, are absolutely nothing alike I'm sure. **

**Ummm, see y'all tomorrow? I hope. *bites nails***

**~Liv**


	8. The Hostile Hospital

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**The Hostile Hospital**

"_Of all the ridiculous expressions people use—and people use a great many ridiculous expressions—one of the most ridiculous is "No news is good news." "No news is good news" simply means that if you don't hear from someone, everything is probably fine, and you can see at once why this expression makes such little sense."_

Esme lifted her coffee cup to her mouth to cover the smile taking over her face. Carlisle cleared his throat and opened his morning newspaper to hide his own grin, but it did little to mask the chuckle that slipped past his lips.

Both had watched Edward stare down at his plate, the dazed look and secret smile on his face leaving no doubt what, or _who_, he was thinking about.

Edward looked up from his breakfast, his eyes narrowing in suspicion at the way his mother quickly averted her gaze and practically shoved her face into her coffee mug. "What?"

"What, what?" Esme teased, enjoying poking a little fun at her son, but was truly thrilled to see him so happy.

"What is up with you?" he asked, unable to keep from smiling at his mother's feigned innocence.

Carlisle peeked around the corner of his newspaper, his eyes dancing with mischief as he raised a brow at his son. "You seem to have something on you face," he pointed out causing Esme to giggle.

Edward rolled his eyes and wiped at his face with his hand causing his parents to laugh harder.

"Oh, honey," Esme wheezed," you can't wipe off what we're talking about."

Edward sighed and dropped his hand to the table. "You two have finally lost your minds."

"And you seem to have lost your heart, or at least given it to someone for safe keeping, no?" Esme grinned, barely containing her sigh when Edward ducked his head and his cheeks tinted pink.

"Esme, leave Edward alone," Carlisle chided, even though he too, was just as curious as Esme. It seemed odd to both of them that he never talked about the girl he spent so much time daydreaming about. Not to mention all the nights he thought he was being slick and sneaking out unnoticed.

Esme was concerned in the beginning, but after one of the park rangers mentioned to Carlisle that he'd seen Edward at the caves with a pretty little brunette they decided to leave him be. While neither wanted to consider exactly what they did while at the caves alone, they also knew he could be doing so much worse. Moving from Phoenix where kids getting arrested and doing drugs was common practice made sneaking out to be with a girl seem almost trivial.

"Well if Edward told us anything about her I wouldn't have to ask," Esme pouted, making sure Edward saw her protruding lip.

Edward bounced his leg nervously, unsure what, if anything, he should tell his parents. He didn't want to take the chance of revealing anything that would ultimately make his parents ask more questions, which could lead to trouble for Isabella.

He also understood that telling them nothing at all would only make them more suspicious. He'd held his tongue and kept her secret, but he wanted so badly to talk to someone. "Her name is Bella," he muttered quietly. "Well, Isabella, but I call her Bella."

Esme beamed when she realized Edward was finally going to tell her a little bit about his mystery girl, even Carlisle set his paper aside and turned his attention to his reluctant son.

"It's complicated, her parents are..." he trailed off, unsure of how to describe those vile people. He was fairly certain that calling them evil bastards who deserve the worst kind of hell and should die a slow painful death would probably not go over very well, "strict."

Esme nodded. "I see." Although she really didn't. She had a feeling there was a lot her son wasn't telling her, and she wasn't sure why, but something felt very unsettling.

Carlisle frowned as he looked over at his wife, his own alarm bells going off. He wanted to comment on the fact that if her parents were so strict maybe they shouldn't be sneaking out every night on the weekends, but decided to hold off bringing up that particular conversation for the time being. That possibly was the only opportunity they had to see one another.

"Will we get to meet her?" Carlisle asked instead.

"Yeah." Edward smiled despite the dark place his mind had gone. Because his parents would meet her. Not today, and not tomorrow, but they wouldn't have to hide her forever. As soon as they graduated he was taking her away from the awful place she'd called home and those awful people she called family, because that place was no more a home than those people were family.

"Excellent." Esme said, her momentary feeling of unease settled for the time being.

"Also, I was thinking," Edward hedged, deciding to take advantage of his parents good mood, "that maybe I would call Victoria and ask her about some of the schools close to her."

Carlisle's ears perked at the mention of their eldest daughter. She and Edward were almost five years apart in age, but they'd always been close. The idea of knowing Edward would be close to his sister while he was in college made him very happy.

"I think that's an excellent idea," Carlisle nodded, "Seattle is a wonderful city."

Edward couldn't agree more. Seattle also couldn't possibly be any further away from the people who lived to torture Isabella, and that was the best thing of all. He'd racked his brain for weeks trying to figure out a way to get her away right after graduation, when suddenly the idea of calling Victoria popped into his head.

Victoria lived in a big enough place that Isabella could stay with her until she was able to get all of her school plans in order, and he would be close by living in the dorms. He knew once Victoria knew the situation she would no doubt take Isabella in, and possibly try and murder her family.

That image was more appealing everyday.

Cold winter wind whipped through the trees of Phil's secluded back yard. He pulled in a long drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke settle in his chest until it ached. Anger and resentment burned bright inside of him as he replayed the conversation he'd had with Alice earlier.

He tried not to picture the damage he'd seen to Isabella's face when he'd met Renee and Charlie at the hospital, the ever-doting distraught parents. What a crock of shit. While they'd been occupied with the doctors―no doubt telling the most extravagant lie ever―Phil had slipped out the doors and drove straight to Isabella's home.

Phil had cornered Alice, who was cleaning up the blood and vomit coating Isabella's floor and demanded answers. Alice was reluctant to speak to him, afraid that she would say something that would get back to her parents and land her in a hospital bed right beside her foolish sister.

But Phil would not be deterred, and decided to use the only leverage he could offer her―freedom.

"_What do you want more than anything, Alice?" _

"_To be free," she whispered, her eyes darting around the room nervously, like she expected her mother or father to walk from the shadows in the corners at any moment._

"_Tell me what I want to know, and I will make it happen." _

"_How?" she exhaled, her heart hammering in her chest at the idea of escaping from this hell._

"_You let me worry about that, but I have my ways. Now tell me what happened," Phil demanded, not caring the least about helping Alice escape from that house, his only concern, his only desire was Isabella._

What Alice told him nearly sent him over the edge. His body vibrated with uncontrollable rage as he realized that not only had some adolescent, pimple-faced boy captured his Isabella's attention, but he had possibly taken something that belonged to him.

Phil had missed his chance with Renee, to be the only one to touch her and claim her body, but he was still willing to run away with her. Then she had to go and get herself pregnant and ruin everything.

He'd accepted that he'd never have with anyone what he'd shared with Renee, that it was ruined and over, and he'd have to settle for what he could take. Then Isabella was born. He watched as she grew and matured from a young child, to a blossoming teen, to a beautiful young woman.

The mirror image of her mother.

Phil realized then, that he would have his second chance. That Isabella was given to him to make up for the loss of Renee all those years ago, he just had to be patient. She was of age now and almost finished with high school. He just had to wait a little longer, until she was so broken that anything he offered her would be a better alternative than staying where she was.

But a boy? A love interest? That was something Phil had not planned for―but he would not hesitate to remove anyone or anything that stood in his way―that threatened to take away what was rightfully his.

Isabella's finger twitched as she tried to will her eyes to open, but every part of her felt weighted and numb. Voices floated around her, various beeping sounds echoing in her ears. She tried to wade through the fog laying thick over her mind, to understand why she felt out of place. The bed was too soft, the noises foreign, the smell of the air too sterile.

"Looks like somebody's waking up," Renee cooed, placing a damp cloth on Isabella's forehead and wiping it gently over her skin. "We've been so worried."

Ice froze in Isabella's veins and her heart hammered wildly in her chest as her mother's words registered. Her mother didn't worry about her, she didn't speak in loving tones and touch her gently. This was all wrong.

The beeping on the monitors increased, and Isabella's breathing became nothing more than short, choppy pants that caused shooting pain to radiate throughout her.

"Ma'am I'm going to have to ask you to step out for a few minutes while I check Isabella over. Go grab some coffee, maybe something to eat, you haven't left her side in days."

"But she's waking up, I need to be here," Renee insisted, her annoyance barely contained. She'd sat in that damn horrible hospital room for four days waiting for Isabella to wake up, not wanting to allow Isabella the chance to speak to anyone before her.

"I'll let her know you're just down the hall, I promise," the nurse reassured Renee, both endeared and annoyed with her persistence to be with her daughter.

Renee hesitated for a moment, her eyes piercing as she took in Isabella's still form, before finally conceding and stepping out into the hall. She needed a smoke and she needed a drink and she needed to call Phil and let him know that Isabella was awake so that he could come and take her statement.

"C'mon honey, it's just me and you, you're safe," the nurse promised, her heart breaking into a million pieces for the poor girl who'd been beaten so badly. She just hoped that Isabella would come forward and tell the police the truth so they could arrest that wretched boy who dared to hurt her so badly.

Isabella slowly lifted her lids, the harsh light in the room making her wince and close her eyes once more. She'd figured out she was in a hospital, but the details were still fuzzy. The last thing she remembered was kissing Edward goodnight.

Dread sunk into her bones. Images of what happened after she crawled through her window suddenly flashed vividly in her mind, causing an ache that had nothing to do with her broken body to bloom. It seeped into every part of her that had begun to heal, eclipsing the new found light of hope with the familiar darkness of despair once more.

Tears burned Isabella's eyes and caused her nose to run, but when she tried to sniff the pain was nearly unbearable. She'd never felt so hopeless or helpless in her life. Because it wasn't just about her anymore. What would she tell Edward? How would she tell him? Had her parents gone looking for him?

"What day is it?" Isabella croaked, her throat raw and scratchy. What if she had been out for days and Edward had come to her window? When was the last time she'd seen him? Saturday? Sunday?

"It's Thursday, honey. You were brought in Sunday morning after your parents found you on your front porch. Do you remember anything?"

It took Isabella no more than a moment to realize that her nightmare had only just begun.

She opened her eyes, blinking repeatedly to adjust to the light. She didn't know what her parents had told the doctors, but she knew since school didn't start back until Monday there was no way Edward had any idea what was going on, and if he did she was already too late.

She turned her head to the side, her eyes locking with the phone next to her bed. She had to warn him, she had to let him know where she was so he wouldn't come to her house. What if Charlie was waiting for him?

A shiver of terror ran the length of her body.

Isabella shook her head no in answer to the nurse as she tried to work out a plan, someway to be alone so she could reach Edward.

"I'm sure it will come back to you," the nurse responded emphatically. "Are you in pain? Can I get you anything?"

"Could you," Isabella began, "could you maybe give me a couple of minutes alone? I...I just need a few moments to myself. Could you do that for me?" The fat tears rolling down Isabella's cheeks were not manufactured nor was the sincere desperation in her tone.

"Of course," the nurse whispered, her heart breaking all over again. "Would you like for me to find your mother?"

Isabella swallowed, her throat tightening as a lump of fear swelled in her throat. "Actually, she'll just hover and worry," Isabella lied, her fear for Edward's safety making her bold. "Maybe you could keep her occupied for a few minutes. Maybe the quiet will help me remember."

The nurse smiled sweetly and nodded her head, wanting nothing more than to grant Isabella a few moments of solace before the police swooped into her room.

As soon as the door latched shut Isabella turned to her side, the pain radiating from her ribs making her eyes widen and a gasp catch in her throat. But she didn't have time to worry about herself, she may not have another chance to contact Edward.

With a shaky hand she lifted the phone to her ear and pressed zero for the operator. When the line connected Isabella asked for the number of any Cullen's listed in Lewisburg, West Virginia. When the operator offered to connect the call, Isabella almost cried in relief.

Several tense moments passed as Isabella's eyes darted to the door while praying that Edward would pick up the phone.

"Hello?" Esme answered.

Isabella froze, not considering that someone else may answer.

"Hello?" Esme repeated, looking down at the phone to see if the call had disconnected.

"May I speak with Edward, please?" Isabella asked, her voice soft and low as she battled against the nerves of speaking to Edward's mother while watching for her own.

"Isabella?" Esme asked hopefully, a smile spreading across her face.

Again Isabella faltered, caught off guard that Edward's mother knew her name. Had he talked about her to them? Had her parents contacted them?

"Honey, are you there?"

Isabella's chest tightened at the obvious concern coloring this strangers tone.

"Yes. I was hoping to speak with Edward."

"He's with his dad at the caves. Would you like to leave him a message? He should be home in a couple of hours."

Isabella tried to think of a way to get a message to Edward, some way to let him know where she was and what had happened.

"Um...my book. I, um, I can't find it. And I told him I would let him know. Would you tell him that I looked everywhere but my room is empty, it's not at my house. Could you ask him to check and see if he has it?"

"Sure, honey, what book is it?"

"Tell him," she whispered, licking her lips, "that it's book number seven, _The Hostile Hospital_."

"Of course. It was wonderful speaking with you. I look forward to meeting you in person." Esme added, hoping that the little nudge would compel Isabella to come around sooner rather than later.

"Thank you. Me too."

Renee's voice sounded on the other side of the door, her annoyance evident. Isabella rushed a quick goodbye and put the phone on the receiver, turning quickly on her back and closing her eyes just as Renee entered the room.

"I warned you she may be sleeping, she's been through quite the ordeal," the nurse said, her voice much less friendly than before.

"Well if you hadn't bothered me with silly paperwork I could have made it back before she drifted back off to sleep. Maybe I should just wake her." Renee suggested, moving closer to Isabella, suspicious whether or not she was actually sleeping.

"Ms. Swan, as Isabella's nurse, I'm going to have to ask you not to do that."

"Well, as her mother, I have every right to wake my daughter."

"Not if it interferes with her recovery," the nurse pressed, moving to stand between Isabella and her mother. "I'll make you leave if I must."

"You can't make me leave," Renee scoffed, "I'm her mother."

"And Isabella is eighteen and a legal adult. You have no legal right to have access to her."

"But she's just a child," Renee spat, her anger rising at the interference of this stupid twat. She needed to speak with Isabella, she needed to let her know what was expected of her.

Just as the nurse was about to respond the door pushed open and Phil moved into the room. He took in the tense stance of the two women in front of him, seemingly hovering over Isabella's bruised and swollen body. His anger surged all over again and he had to look away quickly to keep him face neutral.

"Ladies." He nodded. "How's the patient?"

"Resting," the nurse cut in before Renee could respond.

"But she woke up," Renee shot back, staring meaningfully at Phil. "I wanted to wake her up and see if we could get some answers about what exactly happened to her."

Phil cast a glance between Isabella and the nurse and knew it was best to remove Renee from the room for a while, nothing good was going to come from Renee losing her temper.

"How about we grab a bite to eat and come check on her later, maybe she'll be up for a chat then." Phil suggested, keeping a respectable distance from Renee.

With one last look at Isabella, Renee turned and stormed from the room, much to the relief of Isabella and her nurse.

Edward walked into the living room and kicked off his shoes, tired from a long day of doing all of the heavy lifting his Dad decided was better suited for someone much younger.

"You're home early," Esme commented, kissing Carlisle on the cheek.

"Yeah, it was a long day, lots of manual labor," Carlisle responded with a laugh as noticed Edward glaring at him.

"I had an interesting day," Esme said with a smile.

"Oh yeah, how so?" Carlisle asked.

"I spoke with Isabella."

Edward's head whipped to his mother, his entire body, that only moments ago was sagging with exhaustion now thrummed with adrenaline.

"Where? When?" Edward demanded, jumping to his feet.

His reaction startled Esme, the rigid set of his shoulders making her own heart rate pick up.

"On the phone," she answered slowly, watching emotions that she couldn't quite grasp flash across his face.

"Is she okay?"

Esme stared at him, bewildered at his line of questioning. Was that what this was about? He was worried that something had happened? Were his feelings that strong for Isabella? She wasn't sure how to feel about that, but knew it would be something she would have to think about later.

"She was fine. She was looking for a book. The one she can't find? She said to tell you that she looked everywhere, but it wasn't in her room or anywhere else in the house. She wanted you to see if you had it."

"What book?" Edward whispered, his palms suddenly clammy as his stomach churned with unease.

"The seventh one. Something about a Hostile Hospital. Does that sound familiar?"

Edward had to plant his feet to keep his body from swaying as his vision dipped and swirled. Why would she call his house and say that she was missing a book? And not just any book, but _that_ book. The one where the Baudelaire children were in a hospital.

"Yeah. I think I have it." Edward responded, his words sounding strange, muffled.

He pushed past his parents and to his car. "I think it's in my car, I'm just going to run it over."

Esme and Carlisle watched in confusion as Edward jogged to his car and slammed the door behind him. There was definitely something going on with Edward and Isabella, and sooner rather than later he was going to have to start answering some questions.

Edward was a ball of anxiety the short drive to the hospital, indecision and fear making his temples throb. But determination drove him forward: first to the nurses station where he lied about his relationship to Isabella; and then to the second floor where she lay in a hospital bed praying that Edward understood her message.

He peered into the room, glancing at the empty chair before pushing the door open and stepping inside. The moment he laid eyes on her nearly unrecognizable face his knees buckled and a sob tore from his throat.

Isabella's eyes opened, her head turning to face Edward as he stumbled over to her bedside and dropped to his knees.

"Bella, oh my god, baby, what did they do to you?" He sobbed, his hand hovering above her face, wanting so badly to touch her, but terrified that he would hurt her in some way.

"Shh," she choked, tears spilling down her cheeks in relief that he was okay, that no one had harmed him.

"We can't go on like this. We have to tell someone, we have to do something."

She shook her head, trying to control her own emotion so she could speak quickly, Renee could return at any moment and she didn't want to think about what would happen if she found Edward here.

"They know. My dad was waiting for me when I got home. I've been here since Sunday," she added quietly as she watched Edward's mouth flatten into a hard line.

"This is because of me? Because you were with me?" He ground out.

"No, this happened because my parents are messed up. And it would have happened sooner or later. But Edward, that's not what's important. They're up to something. They told the doctors they found me like this on the front porch. I don't even want to think about what that means, what they are trying to pull." She spoke in a rush, her heart beginning to hammer faster as she realized how much time had passed since Renee had left.

"No, what's not important is your parents. Fuck them. This has to end."

Isabella felt a spike of fear as she watched Edward's face harden as his mind cemented to a decision that could end with him hurt.

"Please, please, please," she begged, pulling his hand into hers, "wait until tomorrow, let me find out what they have planned. I'm safe here."

"Please don't ask me to leave you here. Please, Bella, I can't. I can't go knowing they are here." His entire body protested against the idea of stepping one foot away from her, the pain in his chest so intense that it hurt to breath.

"You have to. If they find you here it will only make it worse. Please, trust me." She lifted his hand and touched them gently to her swollen, split lips.

"Bella," he begged, but had already given in, he would never do anything to make things harder for her. And as much as he hated to leave her, he knew they needed to have a plan. Because this was it. The end. It couldn't go on any more.

"The nurse on duty, she seems okay. I can see if she can get my room cleared out for me again, and I'll call you. We'll figure it out." Isabella tried to convince herself that she believed her words, but the only thing she knew for certain, was that all of the plans they'd made were nothing more than foolish dreams made my two people in love. She just couldn't bring herself to tell Edward, not yet.

"Be safe," he whispered, kissing her forehead, then her eyes, her nose, and finally her lips, telling her he loved her with every soft touch.

"Go, please. Tomorrow. I'll call you."

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you too, Edward."

When the door closed behind Edward, Isabella felt like she'd been sealed in a tomb. She closed her eyes to block out her surroundings, a reminder that everything had changed, and that her future, no matter what Edward promised, was destined to mirror her past.

She drifted in and out of sleep, a new nurse coming in and checking on her every half hour. Isabella was just drifting off to sleep once more when the door opened and closed, the sound of the lock engaging causing her stiffen.

"Wake up Isabella. I think we're due a mother daughter chat."

* * *

**A/N **

**CLIFFY WHORE STRIKES AGAIN! Good thing I'll be updating again tomorrow, huh? ;)**

**Raggdoll of Twilight gave me two thumbs way up on this one, thanks pretty! **

**DarknNerdy gif bombed me all over twitter, it was awesome. **

**Remember there are only 13 chapters, the last one will post on Halloween.**

** I LOVE ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS, OMG! It makes being up until 2am writing to make sure I stay on schedule totally worth it. You guys rock. Hard.**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	9. The Carnivorous Carnival

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

**The Carnivorous Carnival**

"_One of the most troublesome things in life is that what you do or do not want has very little to do with what does or does not happen."_

Isabella knew nothing good would come from ignoring her mother, so with an internal sigh Isabella opened her eyes.

"Oh look, you're going to cooperate. Pity," Renee said, her voice dripping with disdain.

Isabella sucked in a sharp breath, the act causing her to wince.

"Look at all the trouble you've caused," Renee tsked with disapproval. "You brought this all on yourself you know."

Isabella stared at her blankly, having no response for such a ludicrous statement.

Renee chuckled, her voice low and dark as she spoke. "Of course you don't understand. '_Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand_.' I think we both know which category you fall into."

I tear slipped down Isabella's cheek as she lowered her eyes. Her parents were so messed up. There was no point in trying to reason with them, they twisted the words of the bible to suit their own perverse needs and each and every outcome always resulted in pain for Isabella.

"But you have a chance to redeem yourself," Renee smiled, her face sinister and terrifying.

Isabella's brows pinched as she tried to figure out what exactly Renee was proposing. But she knew whatever it was, Isabella would pay dearly.

Renee sighed in aggravation, she was hoping for a little more begging for forgiveness, a little more willingness to cooperate, but it seemed Isabella didn't want to redeem herself, she was every bit as wicked as they'd always believed.

"Well since you don't seem to be able to speak, then I will do all of the talking. Phil is coming over here later to take your statement, and you are going to tell him that boy you've been sneaking off with is the one who did this to you."

"What?" Bella gasped, her chest aching from her sharp intake of air.

"You heard me." Renee spat, her voice cold, hard.

"No," Isabella breathed, her eyes wide with panic. So that was the plan then. They wanted her to lie so that Edward would be arrested for what, battery? Attempted murder? How far were they willing to take this to punish her?

Renee stood from her chair and towered over Isabella, her face a stoney mask up undiluted rage. "What did you say to me?"

Isabella swallowed thickly, her heart hammering in her chest as she did something she'd never done before. She stood up against her mother. "No. I won't do it. There's no punishment you could give me that would be worse than sacrificing Edward for you."

Renee laughed loudly, her head tipping back as her shoulders shook with mirth at the naiveness of her daughter. Poor, stupid girl was sadly mistaken if she thought she would ever have the upper hand.

Renee cut her laughter off abruptly, her eyes snapping to Isabella, all traces of humor gone. "You'll do it, or Charlie will kill him."

"He wouldn't," she whispered, but after what he'd done to her, she was no longer sure she believed that.

"Oh he would. People have accidents all the time. Or maybe he gets a phone call to come to the house and we let him know if he doesn't you'll suffer the consequences. But once there he attacks your father, no one would blame Charlie for defending himself from the same monster that attacked his baby girl."

Isabella wanted to vomit. Listening to Renee casually speak of ending Edward's life under the pretense of a distraught father was the most disgusting thing her mother had ever said.

"You, you wouldn't get away with it. I...I would tell someone." She tried to sound strong, she tried to sound sure, but doubt and fear had crept up her spine, causing her words to come out small and weak, defeated.

"You defy me, and you won't have the chance. Maybe this will work better in the long run," Renee pondered, her finger tapping her chin, "a two-for-one of sorts. I can see the headline now: young girl killed after attack by abusive boyfriend, assailant shot by girl's father. We'd be rid of the both of you."

A sob stuck in Isabella's throat as tears streaked down her face. "Why do you hate me so much?"

"Because you were born."

Isabella's heart―which she thought had hardened against her mother's venomous words―cracked wide open as she truly realized just how much her own mother hated her.

"Then why won't you let me go? Be rid of me?" Isabella begged, not understanding why her mother was so hell bent on keeping someone around who she hated so much.

Renee leaned over the bed until her mouth was right next to Isabella's ear, her mouth stiff, as she spoke in a harsh whisper, "because you don't deserve to be happier than me!"

Isabella closed her eyes and tried to fight against the weight of sadness pressing into her chest.

"You'll do as I say, or you'll both pay." And with that Renee turned and left the room as Isabella cried for her impossible situation.

It was hours later before Isabella was able to pull herself together enough to pick up the phone and call Edward. She didn't know where her mother was or if she planned to come back, but there was nothing she could do to her that would hurt more than what she'd already threatened.

Edward jerked upright in bed when the phone clutched in his hand started ringing. With a quick glance at the clock he realized that it was after eleven. He connected to call on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Edward," Isabella said, her voice stuffy and thick.

"Bella? What's wrong? What happened?" Edward asked in a rush, already off the bed and looking for his jeans.

"I know," she hiccupped, "I know what they want."

Edward exhaled and sat heavily on his bed as he tried to calm his racing heart. "What happened?"

Edward sat slack-jawed as he listened to her recant the conversation with her mother. He'd never been a violent person, never been in a fight, and stayed pretty even-tempered most of his life. But right now, for the first time in ever, he could say he truly hated someone bone-deep.

And she hadn't even told him the part of the plan that involved taking her out with him.

"She's bluffing."

"No," Isabella insisted. "I don't think she is."

"Bella she can't hurt me. Do you really think I would go to your house if one of your parents called me?"

Isabella shook her head and licked her lips, not wanting to think about what Renee had said. She didn't want to confess exactly how far her parents were willing to go to cover their crime, but if he was going to push the issue she really didn't have a choice.

"What if they told you my life depended on it?" she whispered.

Edward fell silent, the thought of Isabella dead made his entire body lock with emotions which mere words could not describe. _Soul shattering_ didn't even come close.

"We can tell my parents."

"Who will, in turn, call the police. Who is Phil. And he'll pretend to investigate and say that I'm lying," Isabella retorted, her anger at the hopeless situation spilling into her words.

"Then we'll call Child Protective Services, the police have no jurisdiction there," Edward said just as hotly, his frustration rising.

"I'm a legal adult."

"Damnit, Bella. There has to be something!"

"I don't know what to do!" she cried, "I'm scared. I'm scared of what they will do to you. I can't let them hurt you because of me, I'd rather die. Because without you, I have nothing," she whimpered, her entire frame shaking from the pain of her sobs.

"Baby, calm down. We'll figure something out...just let me think for a second." Edward stood from the bed and paced the room, his mind racing in a million different directions as he tried to come up with a plan, an idea that would get them out of this real life nightmare. He just needed time to think. Time. Time to get Bella away.

He had an idea.

With a deep breath he spoke calmly, his words even and measured. "Do what they asked."

Isabella's mouth fell open, that was the last thing in the world she expected Edward to say. She didn't want to lie and tell the police the only person that had ever shown her kindness, the person she loved more than her own life was responsible for her injuries. At the same time she didn't want him hurt because she refused to do so. She was in a lose-lose situation, either way Edward would be hurt and it was driving her to maddening desperation.

"Why? Edward, why would you say that?"

"Because it will buy us some time." Ideas swirled around in Edward's head, ways for them to get away, because that was all that mattered. He could deal with the other stuff later, but his only concern at the moment was protecting Isabella.

"Time for what? What are you talking about? They'll arrest you!" Panic began to rise as Isabella tried to make sense of his words, to figure out what Edward was thinking.

Edward shook his head even though she couldn't see him. "I need to know you're okay, and placating them is the best assurance I have. I won't let them arrest me, I'll hide. I just need to set a few things up and then, Bella, we're leaving. We're getting out of here and going away. If we can beat them here, then we disappear."

"But what about your parents?" she asked, her panic slowly ebbing as the fierce determination in his voice washed over her.

"I'll take care of everything, just do as they say. Do you know when the police are coming to question you?"

"Tomorrow, I think. Edward, I don't want to do this," she begged, tears she thought should have long run out by now still streaming down her face.

"It's going to be okay, Bella. Nothing will happen to me. But I need you to call me as soon as they leave, okay?"

"Okay." Her voice was so small he barely heard her.

"I love you, Bella. Trust me."

"Of course I trust you. I don't know what you're up to, but please be careful. I love you too much to lose you."

"You won't lose me. Not ever. I'll talk you soon, okay? Get some rest."

Edward grabbed a notebook and pen from his bag and began to write. Everything would work out. It had to.

Isabella laid in bed staring at the ceiling, her thoughts a chaotic mess as she tried to prepare herself for tomorrow. She felt as if she were trapped in a room full of funhouse mirrors, all of the faces around her distorted from reality. A sick, twisted house of lies where the villains became the victims and no matter how many times an exit would appear―a glimmer of hope in the form of escape―it only lead to yet another dead end.

Isabella closed her eyes and tried to fight the heavy sense of foreboding she felt as she replayed Edward's last words. Because if she'd learned anything, it was that there were no guarantees.

* * *

**A/N**

**Welp. Here we go. Hold on tight. I know this chapter was a little shorter, but what needed to happen in this chapter happened. Plus then next one is almost 6k, so I think I more than make up for it!**

**I have no idea how I'm spitting this story out so fast, I think I may be possessed. Just...putting that out there. **

**For anyone who wants to join the "ways to make these assholes pay" thread on FB the link to the group is on my profile, come chat it up!**

**Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy, I can't tell you guys what it feels like to not only have your stamp of approval, but to be able to make YOU guys gasp and cringe...well, lets just say my life is pretty much complete with that. **

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	10. The Slippery Slope

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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**Chapter Ten**

**The Slippery Slope**

"_It is difficult, when faced with a situation you cannot control, to admit that you can do nothing."_

Renee stood in the corner of the room, her stance casual, her expression concerned, compassionate. But her eyes, they told the real story. Like icy daggers they remained fixed on Isabella as she fidgeted with the hem of her blanket, gazing unblinking at her hands.

Phil sat in the chair beside her bed, his face pinched with worry and possessive need. His mind twisted with anxiety when he thought of what he may learn this morning. He knew Charlie was the one who beat Isabella, he wasn't stupid. And Isabella wasn't naive, she didn't believe for one second that Phil didn't know who the real monster was in this scenario.

But Phil didn't care about who was to blame, he wanted Edward named as the assailant for his own selfish needs, his own desires. But he was also afraid, because the barely contained jealousy simmering in the pit of his stomach bubbled and gurgled, pockets of heated rage popping like bubbles as he considered how intimate Isabella and Edward had been.

A nurse bustled around the room, the thick tension in the air making her skin prickle and rush through her duties to get out of its oppressive confines. When the door clicked shut behind her all false pretenses were gone. Isabella was once again reminded of the funhouse mirrors, how they could turn something beautiful to ugly and twisted while masking the corrupt for caring.

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way, Isabella. I gave you two options, which one can you live with?" Renee taunted, her ire blazing at the thought of Isabella not conforming to her demand.

Isabella remained silent, her mouth stuck and unmoving. She tried to speak, to say something, _anything_, but it was like it'd been glued shut, refusing to spill such horrid lies about Edward.

Renee stepped forward, her cool, cruel facade melting away as her temper ignited.

"Listen, you little bitch, if you think you're going to put your father in jail because you chose to sneak around like a whore you're out of your mind," she seethed, grasping Isabella's calf and digging her nails in the pliant flesh.

"Renee," Phil barked, his own temper flaring at the mention of Isabella's possible promiscuity.

Her head whipped to the side, startled by the sharp bite in his voice.

"That's enough. We're never going to get anywhere if you continue on the way you are. Go outside and have a smoke, let me have a little chat with her." He turned his gaze to Isabella and softened his voice, his tone low and comforting and completely insincere. "I'm sure she's more than willing to cooperate, she doesn't want someone like that boy roaming the streets...alone."

Renee covered up her jealousy for the way Phil looked at Isabella by letting a hateful smile spread across her face. "No, we certainly wouldn't want that. Someone could get...hurt."

Isabella's eyes burned with unshed tears. She knew what she had to do, and still her heart refused to cooperate. She remained silent as Renee stepped out into the hall and shut the door behind her.

Phil studied her, trying to look for a change, something that would give him a clue. Was she still worth the effort if she'd been tainted? Was she every bit the spitting image of her mother, not just in looks, but in spirit, too?

Phil shook his head. No Isabella was different. She was just confused. She didn't know how he felt about her, that she was meant to be his. He would be her savior, and she would be his forever.

With a calming breath he pulled Isabella's hand into his. She recoiled from his touch, her disgust and hatred for him almost as much as what she felt for her parents.

"Now, Isabella, is that anyway to treat someone who only wants to help?" he chided softly, his jaw ticking in anger at her reaction.

Her body tensed with resentment as the word 'help' rang in her ears. Suddenly her lips were no longer molded together and suffocating her words.

"Help? You don't want to help me, you care nothing about me." She spat, the chains that oppressed her all her life pulled taut, on the brink of snapping. She no longer cared about punishments or threats, because these monsters were trying to take away the only thing she'd ever loved. Let them punish her, let their black souls coat her like the blood they spilled from her body. Let them break her until flesh tore from bone and the vessel that housed her soul finally freed her from it's tortured prison.

Phil's hand twitched at his side, part anger, part arousal at the fiery way she glared at him. Sweet, little Isabella, who was always so timid, so docile, was now a burning bright inferno of indignation.

That boy had changed something in her, and he wasn't sure how deep those changes went, but he would break them, each and every one.

"Have I not always tried to protect you from Renee's drunken tirades?" he asked calmly, placating. "Have I not offered to take you away from there, give you shelter and security?"

Isabella stared at him, her eyes searching his face, little pieces to a terrifying puzzle slowly clicking together, piece by petrifying piece.

"Why?" she breathed, her throat tight.

"Because I want to help you, of course." He smiled, thinking Isabella's reaction was out of amazement, not horror.

She licked her lips, her heart thudding inside her chest. "It you wanted to help me," she began slowly, cautiously, "then why do you allow them to do it? Why not arrest them? Why didn't you call Child Services to remove me and Alice from that house?" Isabella tried to let the fear that had overcome her anger hold tight, to keep her temper in check, because suddenly Phil had just become a whole lot more frightening.

Phil's sharp eyes caught the change immediately. He saw the way Isabella's hands shook as she clutched the blanket, how her narrowed, angry eyes were now wide and cautious, her voice softer, aware.

Phil shook his head and sighed, realizing that little Isabella had figured out more than he'd wanted her to right now. But with recent events, maybe it was best to let her know where things stood now rather than later.

"Because if you left that house, there was no guarantee I would be able to find you again. I needed to keep you close, so when the time was right, nothing would stand in my―in our―way."

"In our way for what?" Isabella asked, already knowing the answer, but unable to believe what she was hearing. Unable to comprehend that the man who had an affair with her mother for as long as she'd been alive thought that she would be with him, in that way. She wanted to vomit.

"Don't be coy Isabella, you're much more intelligent than I gave you credit for. I tried to be careful, keep my intentions hidden, but you've grown so much, turned into such a beautiful woman that I could hardly contain myself." Phil bit down harshly on his tongue, wondering just how much of a woman she'd become―but he'd save that for later―because soon they'd have all the time in the world. But right now they had some complications to remove.

"You're insane," she choked. Sharp pains shot through her temples almost as if her mind was fighting against the information she'd learned, trying to expel it from memory.

"Don't be rude," he scolded, his entire body radiating disapproval. "Now we have other matters to discuss."

Isabella stiffened, her fear for Edward's safety increasing ten fold.

Phil smiled as he reached for the folder on the table and pulled out an official police report, already completed, except for the victim's signature.

"Now, I understand this must be difficult, which is why Renee and I took the liberty of filling in the details for you, in case you were a bit fuzzy. All you need to do is sign it and justice can be served."

"Justice?" A strangled laugh caught in her throat as her eyes widened with incredulity, the shock of his words momentarily eclipsing all other emotions. "How can you call charging an innocent man with a crime he didn't commit justice?"

"There are many types of crimes, Isabella. I can assure you, he is not innocent."

"What could he possibly be guilty of?" Her voice was high and panicked as she wondered if there was something else they intended to accuse Edward of.

Phil's patience was strung tight, Isabella's defiant defense of this boy was pushing him to the edge of his control. "He took something that doesn't belong to him," he hissed, inching closer and closer to falling off the knifes edge.

Tears sprang to Isabella's eyes as the full extent of how screwed up every person in her life was became clear. "Edward didn't take anything that didn't belong to him." Her voice was thick as she choked of tears of despair.

Isabella watched as Phil's angry face smoothed and his shoulders relaxed. She thought back to what she'd said and had to fight to hold back her grimace of disgust. Suddenly her chest cramped, trapping the air in her lungs. The pain caused her face to pinch as the throbbing in her head increased, a feeling akin to glass cracking in a million different directions crawled over her scalp as if her brain was slowly coming undone, tiny fissures webbing their way through her mind.

Isabella turned her head until her gaze locked with Phil's. Flat, glassy, brown eyes stared unseeing, like she was somewhere else, with someone else. When she spoke her words were soft and gentle, a sweet smile on her lips. "Edward didn't take anything that didn't belong to him," she repeated, "because what he took was already his and I was glad to let him have it."

Phil's entire frame locked, his hands curling into fists as Isabella's words sank in. She's slept with that boy, she'd let another man have what he'd had no right to. "So you are a whore. Just like your mother."

Isabella laughed quietly and shook her head. "No, I'm nothing like that woman. I love Edward. I'm in love with him, and he loves me."

Isabella blinked, confused as to why Phil was laughing, she felt strange, disconnected, like the button on her pain medication drip had been depressed too many times.

"You think you love him? Is that what this is? Oh Isabella, you know nothing about love, about sacrifice. But you will." He pulled a pen from his pocket and slid it into her hand before standing and leaning over her with the paper.

"Sign it." He demanded.

"No."

His jaw clenched as he sucked in a deep breath. She was confused, that boy had brainwashed her, fed her lies to take advantage of her. He just needed to help her see, and he needed to remove the object of her affliction.

"You'll never see that boy again. Do you want it to be because he's jail, or because he's dead. Because I'd be happy to make either of those possibilities a reality. Now sign the fucking paper, Isabella."

She looked down at the paper impassively, her eyes welling with tears as she was suddenly jolted back to reality, the momentary sanctuary of her own mind torn away as she was thrust back into the pits of Hell.

"Please," she gasped, hoping that his twisted fondness for her might grant her some kind of reprieve. "Don't make me do this to him, please."

"I'm sorry, Isabella," Phil soothed as she girl in front of him once again resembled _his_ Isabella. Timid, shy, broken. "But I can't make this go away." And he didn't want to make it go away, because that boy would pay one way or another for all the trouble he caused.

"Now, I've told you your options, make your decision now."

Isabella wanted to scream and cry and hit something. His tone was so casual, so easy going, as if he were talking about the weather and not about either putting her boyfriend in prison or killing him.

_Buy us some time. Time. Time. Time._

Edward. He needed time, he asked her to do this for him. She couldn't let him down. With a shuddering breath she raised the pen to the paper and signed. It felt like she'd just made a deal with the Devil, and for all intents and purposes, she had.

"Good girl." Phil smiled.

Isabella turned her head to the side facing away from him, wanting nothing more than for him to get away from her. She'd done what he wanted, what they all wanted. Now she needed to call Edward, and pray that he'd done all the things he needed to, because they were coming for him now.

With one last fleeting look Phil stepped out into the hall and closed the door. Renee stood by the elevator, her face blank as she watched him, wondering what had transpired behind that closed door while she was forced to wait outside.

He lifted his eyes to hers, and with a subtle dip of his chin she knew everything had turned out the way it should. She mirrored his motion and pushed off the wall, keeping her smile hidden from the watchful eyes of the nurse nearby.

Without a word Phil brushed past her and into the elevator, his phone already clutched in his hand so he could call the department and let them know he was enroute to make an arrest.

Isabella picked up the phone and dialed, it didn't even ring fully before Edward was whispering her name into the receiver.

"I did it. I did what you asked. Edward, please tell me you have a plan, that you know what you're doing, because I'm scared. I'm so scared."

"I do. I promise. But I'm sure they're on their way so I need to go, I need to leave, but I will talk to you soon, okay? I love you. This will all be over soon."

A choked sob stuck in Isabella's throat as she nodded, her "I love you, too" no more than a breathy exhale.

Carlisle looked over at the clock on the stove, startled by the loud pounding on the front door. Esme yawned sleepily and waved her hand for him to answer, in no mood to have a conversation with someone before eight am and her morning cup of coffee.

Phil squared his shoulders and loosened his face, making him appear solem and neutral.

"Can I help you?" Carlisle asked, confused as to why an officer was at his door.

"I'm looking for Edward Cullen," Phil stated formally.

Carlisle's eyes widened at the mention of his son, but only for a fraction of a second before his protective instincts kicked in.

"What's this about?"

Phil sighed internally, he knew this wasn't going to be easy. "Mr. Cullen I have a sworn statement that your son is responsible for a vicious attack on a young woman that occurred sometime in the early morning hours this past Sunday."

"What?" Carlisle asked baffled. "Who?"

"Isabella Swan." Phil said flatly.

"What's going on?" Esme asked, coming around from behind Carlisle and hugging her robe close to her body. She'd only caught the very end of the conversation, but the way her husband's voice had risen and was tinged with panic had her eyes wide with concern.

"Your husband can explain things to you, but right now I really must insist that you call your son down here."

"What―Carlisle, what is going on?" Esme insisted, panic beginning to bubble in her chest.

"Everything going to be fine. There's been some kind of misunderstanding. Wait here, I'm going to get Edward."

Without another word Carlisle turned for the stairs, his mind unable to comprehend what he'd just heard. He knocked softly on Edward's door before pushing it open his eyes scanning the empty room.

"Edward?" he called, moving inside the room, his brows drawn in confusion.

His eyes landed on a folded piece of paper propped on the dresser, '_DAD_' scrawled across the front. He hurried across the room and snatched the paper into his hands just as Esme's voice rang out from the stairs.

"Officer, you can't just barge into my house!"

Carlisle looked over his shoulder before shoving the note into his pocket and turning to face the door just as Phil walked into the room.

Phil scanned the room, his eyes narrowed with suspicion as he took in the empty space.

"Where is he?" Phil demanded.

"I don't know," Carlisle responded, his back straightening and his defenses rising at the angry tone of the man in his home.

"Are you lying to me?" Phil asked, his voice low and dark. "Because obstruction of justice is a serious crime. Do you really want more trouble than you already have?"

Esme moved to the window, her heart both sinking with dread and fluttering with relief. "Carlisle, his car is gone."

Phil swore under his breath and wiped a hand down his face; more complications, more road-blocks, more delays standing between him and the things he wanted.

"I'm going to have someone watching your house. I expect to be contacted the minute you hear or see from him, is that understood?"

"I'll have my lawyer contact you," Carlisle answered causing Phil to grimace slightly.

More complications.

After collecting Edward's vehicle information Phil backed out of the room and moved down the stairs, his face devilishly twisted with the idea of finding Edward alone. It'd been a long time since he'd gone on a manhunt. This might not be a bad thing after all.

"Carlisle, what is that?" Esme asked, watching him pull a sheet of paper from his pocket as the police cruiser pulled away.

Carlisle fell heavily onto Edward's bed, tears welling in his eyes and he read Edward's letter.

"Carlisle you're scaring me," Esme pleaded.

He looked up at her with glassy eyes and reached out for her hand, pulling her on the bed beside him. "Esme, our boy is in trouble."

"Hello," Victoria mumbled into the phone, blinking sleepily as she tried to squint at her bedside clock. It was only six in the morning.

"Vic," Edward whispered, setting the note for his parents on the dresser and moving down the stairs. He'd pulled all the cash he had stashed in his room and taken his mother's cell phone, he'd need someway to stay in contact with them when they found his note.

Victoria sat up in bed immediately, her mind and body fully awake as she picked up on the tone of her brother's voice.

"Edward? What's going on? Are you okay? Mom? Dad?" She asked, tugging on James' sleeve to wake him. His only response was a grunt as he pulled a pillow over his face and rolled over.

She rolled her eyes and shoved him in the back, nearly knocking him off the bed.

"What?" he croaked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Edward," she hissed pointing at the phone, her eyes wide.

James' brow knitted in concern as he moved closer to Victoria so he could listen.

"Mom and Dad are fine. But...um...I'm in a little bit of trouble," Edward confessed, sliding behind the wheel of his car and backing out of the drive, not bothering to look back as his house disappeared from view.

"What kind of trouble? Edward tell me what's going on," Victoria demanded, her voice shaky.

With a heavy exhale Edward did what he'd wanted to do since the day he met Isabella, he told someone everything. The weight on his chest giving a little at the relief of saying the words out loud.

Victoria's eyes burned with hot tears as she listened to her brother recount how he met and fell in love with a girl, only to learn that she was living in a nightmare. James' fists tightened and his jaw set as Edward explained how Isabella's parents abused her. How she'd been beaten so badly she was hospitalized and how she'd been coerced into framing Edward.

"What the _fuck_ kind of town are you guys living in?" James spat, not bothering to cover his anger. Victoria's family was the closest thing he'd ever had to a real family, and the thought of a bunch of small town freaks messing with them caused his blood to boil.

"Jay, calm down," Victoria hiccuped, trying to get a hold of her emotions.

James let out a heavy breath nodded as he pulled Victoria into his side. They eyed each other as Edward told them about his plan to get Bella out of town, and away from those people. He explained how Isabella was too scared to go against them while her and Edward remained in the same town because of the police's involvement.

"So can she stay with you while we get this fixed?" Edward finally asked, his voice low and pleading.

"Of course she can, Edward," Victoria answered immediately, "but you have to come too. I won't have you going back there until those people are all rotting in jail. And probably not even then," she added under her breath.

"Not even then," James agreed.

"So Mom and Dad know what's happened then?"

Edward sighed and looked at his watch. "Yeah, by now I'm sure they do. Either the police have showed up, or they found my letter."

"But you didn't tell them where you are or where you're going?"

"No, I didn't want to take the chance of the police searching my room, I told them what I'd been accused of, and that I had to leave. I don't want any of those bastards knowing I plan to take Bella out of the hospital or they'd never leave her side."

"I just don't understand why you told her to say you were the one that hurt her, Edward. How did that buy you any time if they're already looking for you?" Victoria asked, frustrated that she was so far away when her brother needed her so much.

"It had nothing to do with buying time, Vic. I needed Bella to cooperate with them. I truly believe that had she not, they would have hurt her again. Maybe taken her from the hospital before I could get back to her and I just couldn't take that chance. I just couldn't." Edward stressed, trying his best to make them understand.

And they did, to an extent. Both Victoria and James were upset that Edward had kept this to himself, but they also understood he was afraid and had no idea what to do in this kind of situation.

"But as soon as you have her you'll call them, right? And you'll call me?"

"Yeah, I promise, as soon as we get out of town I'll call you guys."

"Edward I'm going to be a wreck until I hear from you, please be careful," Victoria begged, her hands shaking as James squeezed her tight.

"I will. I've gotta go, but I promise to call you soon. Thanks Vic."

Edward blew out a huge breath after he disconnected the call and pulled his car into the old garage a few blocks from the hospital. He had to stay out of sight until he could get to the hospital and get her out of there.

He looked down at his phone, realizing it was just after after ten in the morning. There would be a shift change at noon, he needed to call Isabella and tell her the plan, let her know when he planned on coming and what she would need to do. But he was worried about calling her. What if someone else answered the phone? It didn't matter, he'd just hang up but, he had to try.

Edward fidgeted while he waited to be connected to Isabella's room, wanting nothing more than to move things along, to have Isabella with him in the car and on their way out of town. Away from this place and away from these people.

"Edward!" Isabella hissed, her voice laced with panic.

"What? Bella, what is it?" he demanded, his heart leaping into his throat.

"They're trying to take me home! The nurse just came to check on me, she said my mother was speaking with the doctor about getting me out of here, _now_," she stressed, her hands shaking at the thought of returning to that house, to her father, who had remained away from the hospital since she'd been admitted.

"You can't go home, Bella," Edward shouted, his breathing accelerated. "That will ruin _everything_. You have to figure out some way to stall them, anything. Do you have a pen? Bella, grab and pen and write down this number, okay?"

Edward rattled off the number while Isabella scribbled it furiously onto the paper, her hands shaking so badly she could barely read the numbers.

"Okay, I've got it," she said shakily, her voice trembling. She folded the paper and shoved it under her pillow and out of sight.

"If anything else happens, call me. I don't want to call you again in case someone is in the room with you. I don't want them suspicious, okay?"

"Okay."

"Bella, baby, don't let them take you home. Promise me," Edward begged, his heart hammering as a dark sense of foreboding started to press into his chest.

"I promise, I promise, I promise," she chanted, her nerves fraying and splitting at the seams.

"Hey," Edward murmured, tamping down on his own fears to soothe hers. "Everything is going to be fine. I have so much to tell you, so many _good_ things. I talked to my sister, she's going to let you stay with her. She lives in Seattle. Bella, you're going to love Seattle, it's so beautiful, and I'll be there with you. We're going to hike in the park, and walk through the market, we're going to go on real dates and we're going to be safe. Free. We're going to live, _really_ live. Me and you. I love you Bella, we just have a little longer, baby."

Isabella stared blankly at the wall in front of her, her body suddenly numb, the muscles in her neck twitching, causing her head to jerk to the side slightly.

"Okay," she agreed, her voice strangely monotone.

"Bella?" Edward questioned, the tone of her voice making something twist inside of him.

"I'm okay. I won't let them take me, I promise. I'll be waiting for you when you come, and we'll run away from here. I don't care where we go, as long as I have you I know I'll be okay. You make everything okay. I love you so much," she choked, blinking back the weird sensation coursing through her body.

"I love you too, Bella. Forever."

"Forever," she echoed before dropping the phone onto the receiver, images flashing through her mind quickly. Bright colors, unfamiliar corridors, flash bulb pops, pitch black darkness. Over and over the images cycled through: her mother, Edward, her father, Edward, her sister, Edward, Phil, Edward.

Edward, Edward, Edward.

Always Edward.

Forever Edward.

With glassy eyes, Isabella let her head fall back onto the pillow, her body suddenly weightless. She blinked again, trying to make the images come into focus, become clearer, sharper.

"Well it looks like your vacation is over, Isabella." Renee smirked, letting the door shut behind her.

Isabella hummed in response, her eyes fixed on the ceiling above her.

Renee felt a shiver creep up her spine when she looked at Isabella fully, her pale skin covered in dark bruises, her drooped flat eyes and stringy hair making her appear inhuman.

"I'm just going to um...wrap up your paperwork," Renee stuttered, backing out of the room.

Isabella smiled when the door closed and reached for the side rail of the bed. With a wince she lowered the metal railing and clicked the button on her bed to raise it as high as possible. When it reached as high as it would go, she pulled in a deep breath and rolled off the bed.

The IV attached to her arm ripped immediately, the tape tearing at her tender flesh. The moment her body collided with the hard tile floor she screamed in pain, her chest exploding in agony as her broken and cracked ribs slammed into the unforgiving surface, her head smacking against the tile.

Moments later two nurses came rushing in, their eyes wide with shock as they took in the girl writhing in pain before them.

"Oh my God," a nurse gasped, rushing to Isabella's side. "What happened?"

"I―I wanted," Isabella gasped, her pain both real and exaggerated. "I needed to use the bathroom."

"Oh honey," the nurse soothed, reaching to lift Isabella from the floor. She wrapped her fingers around Isabella's wrist to lift her arm over her head causing Isabella to scream in pain.

"What? What is it? Where does it hurt?" The nurse asked, frantic to understand what she'd done.

"My wrist, I think it may be broken."

Renee stormed into the room as Isabella spoke, her eyes narrowed as she took in the scene around her. "What's going on here?" she demanded.

"Isabella fell from the bed. She's injured her wrist. I'm afraid we're going to have to get her x-rayed before we can release her," the nurse sighed, hating the thought of Isabella having more injuries when she left than she did when she was admitted.

"She's doesn't need x-rays. She's coming home now," Renee spat, in no mood to spend anymore time in the hospital.

"Isabella," the nurse whispered, "do you want us to x-ray your wrist for you?"

Isabella smiled. "Yes, I'd like that very much. And could you please ask my mother to leave?" she asked sweetly.

The nurse, completely fed up with Renee's behavior smiled brightly before turning to Renee. "Ma'am your daughter has asked for you to leave. Please respect her wishes and leave now, or we'll be forced to call security."

Renee's mouth fell open in shock as she stared at Isabella. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, her voice incredulous.

"I need to have my wrist examined _mother. _You don't mind do you? After all, you only want what's best for me."

Renee looked to the nurses who were watching the interaction closely, her anger reaching levels she'd never imagined. "Of course." Renee smiled. "Just call me when you're ready."

Renee turned without a moments hesitation and took off down the hall, pulling out her phone and dialing her home before she even reached the elevators.

"Hello?" Charlie grumbled, annoyed at the interruption of his nap.

"Send Alice to the hospital now. There's been a situation," she spat before disconnecting the call. She didn't know what Isabella was up to, but she would fail, and she would pay dearly.

Edward climbed out of the car and bounced from foot to foot before pulling his hood over his head and tucking his chin. He took off in a jog toward the hospital, wanting to arrive at shift change, when it would be the easiest to get Bella out of her room.

He lingered in the parking lot for a moment, his heart thundering in his chest as he watched Isabella's mother exit and cross the parking lot to her car. He waited for her to pull away before a smile broke across his face.

He walked into the hospital unnoticed and strolled casually to her room, his entire body vibrating with fear and excitement. He peeked in through the glass before pushing the door open and slipping inside, his heart sinking when he noticed the room was empty.

A nurse walked in, just as Edward spun on his heel, both of their eyes widened with surprise.

"Can I help you?" The nurse asked, trying to remember if she'd ever seen the boy in front of her before.

"I'm, um...I'm looking for my...cousin, Isabella." Edward stammered, hoping the nurse didn't know too many details about Isabella's admittance, because he was sure his name would be listed somewhere.

"Oh really? And you're her...cousin?" the nurse asked, her eyes narrowing.

Edward swallowed thickly before answering. "Yeah, my uncle Charlie, he's taken this whole thing pretty hard. He asked me to come check on her since my aunt had to run home."

The nurse eyed him, remembering that she'd seen Isabella's mother leave a few moments earlier. With a sigh she shook her head.

"Isabella fell from the bed. She's having a couple of x-rays done right now. She may be gone for a bit longer than usual since it's the middle of shift change."

Edward swore under his breath, happy that she found a way to stay, but undeniably antsy that he wouldn't be able to get her out of here right now.

"Okay, that's no problem, I'll just wait here if that's okay."

The nurse nodded and grabbed the chart she came in for before exiting. Edward exhaled in frustration and paced the length of the room. It was way too risky for him to hang around the hospital while she was being x-rayed. He'd have to come back. He walked over to the side of her bed and pulled out a small pad of paper and pen.

His fingers traced the outline of his phone number that dented into the paper before taking a deep breath and pushing the pen in his hand to the paper.

_Bella, _

_I missed you. But that's okay, because you found a way to stay you crazy, beautiful girl. I'll be back at the next shift change, I'm going to stay hidden until then. Only a few more hours until this nightmare is over._

_I love you,_

_Edward_

He pulled the piece of paper free and slid it into the pillowcase, counting on her to be able to feel it or hear the paper crinkle when she laid her head back. With one final look around the room Edward moved out the door and down the hall, knowing it was only a matter of time before he'd be making this same trip with Isabella at his side.

Alice watched with hateful, jealous eyes as Edward glided down the hall and away from Isabella's room. Anger and envy burned like acid in her veins as she contemplated all of the reasons he was there.

She pushed the door open and stepped inside, letting her eyes drift over the empty room. She walked slowly around the bed, letting her fingers trail over the top of the bedding. Lifting the pitcher from the bedside table she poured herself a glass of water and gulped it down before snatching up the television remote.

With a heavy sigh she crawled on the bed and flopped back onto the pillow, her ears perking when she heard something crinkle. She sat up and looked down at the pillow, noticing a small lump when she smoothed her hand over the case. Slipping her hand inside she pulled out a small scrap of paper, her eyes narrowing as she read the note.

A cruel smile slid across her face as a tear dripped from her eye. She swung her legs off the bed and lifted the phone from it's cradle before dialing the number for her house. Surely, she thought as the phone rang, this would be enough for her to avoid any more punishments until Phil was able to get her out of that house forever.

"Hello," Renee barked.

With a deep breath, Alice ruined everything. "I know what Isabella is up to. I know what she's planning."

* * *

**A/N**

**Freaking Alice. Ugh. **

**Hey, hey, hey, just wanted to remind all of you lovely readers that this story is labeled horror. From here on out, I earn that label. Things are about to get...messy. **

**Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy, please never let anyone pull our internet search history, we may be taken in for an evaluation. Or for questioning. **

**Thank you guys so much for your continued support, your reviews make my day. I can't find the words to describe how far out of my comfort zone I am writing this story. LOL**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	11. The Grim Grotto

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Grim Grotto**

"_There are secrets in this world too terrible for young people to know, even as those secrets get closer and closer."_

Renee gently placed the phone down, a serene smile on her face. She now understood Isabella's sudden change in demeanor at the hospital. She thought that it was over, that she was going to ride off into the sunset with some boy.

She glanced over her shoulder at Charlie who was snoring loudly in the recliner, an empty bottle of rum on the floor beside him. Her mind flashed back to a time when she was just a little older than Isabella and had her own plans to run away, to escape the life she no longer wanted.

But fate damned her, and she'd make sure Isabella fared no better. She lifted the phone once more and dialed Phil's number.

"Hello, Renee," Phil answered, watching from the parking lot of the hospital as Edward darted out of the door and down the street.

"She thinks they are going to run away together. He's been there, at the hospital. He's going to try and sneak her out, disappear with her." Renee's voice hardened with every word she spoke, the strange sense of déjà vu washing over her making her want to vomit.

Phil chuckled darkly and started his car. It amused him that Renee thought stopping them from running away was going to ensure Isabella was under her thumb for the rest of her life. She had no idea that in a short matter of time Isabella would be gone anyway, as would he. Renee would be alone again, it was no less than she deserved.

"History has proven that things don't always work out the way people plan for them to, hasn't it Renee?"

She was quiet for a moment, the truth in his words causing that ever-present bitterness living within her to flare. "Indeed it has."

"Why don't you go back to the hospital, get Isabella out of there. She may be eighteen, but she's still under your care, you pull the plug on the funds and the hospital will cut her loose."

"And Edward?"

"I'll handle it," Phil answered, his tone menacing, dark.

Edward's teeth chattered as he climbed back into his car. He rubbed his hands together and cupped them over his mouth before expelling a lungful of warm air. He looked around the car trying to figure out something to do until he'd be able to go back for Isabella. He couldn't afford to drive around, not in a town this small, he'd be seen in no time. But the thought of hiding in the same place for the next several hours also worried him. If the police were looking for him―and he was sure they were―they may be checking places just like this.

He drummed his fingers over the steering wheel in thought, he just needed to stash his car somewhere safe. Surely the first place people would look for him would be the caves, that would have been hours ago. He thought about the small side road about a quarter mile from the caves entrance that was barely visible because it had become so overgrown.

He could hide his car there in the woods and not worry about being spotted. Especially since it was the weekend and no one would be working and it was closed to the public. The only drawback was there was only one way in and one way out, and the road was narrow and winding going up the side of the mountain. He didn't want to get trapped up there.

But what other choice did he have? He was feeling more and more uneasy the longer he remained at the same place. He pulled in a deep breath, "screw it," he muttered, starting the ignition and backing out his car. He stayed off the main roads, taking as many side streets as possible, before turning up the narrow road leading to the caves.

His eyes darted to the rear view mirror every few seconds, his pulse pounding in his ears. He heaved out a sigh of relief as the small side road came into sight. Slowly he pulled his car over the rough terrain and drove until the main road was no longer visible and he was certain his car was hidden.

He killed the engine and let his head fall against the seat. He turned his head to the side when the phone sitting in the passengers seat started ringing. Lifting it to his face he grimaced when he saw it was his dad's cell. He debated for only a moment before hitting the ignore key. A few seconds later it chimed again, this time with a text.

**This is madness, son. Come back home, we can help.**

Edward swallowed around the lump in his throat as he thought about how worried his parents must be. He'd be able to call them soon and explain everything and they could yell and scream at him all they wanted. But right now, he had to stay focused. Not wanting to worry them more than they already were he decided to at least send his dad a text.

**I'm more than a hundred miles away. I promise to call you soon. I love you both.**

Time passed. Edward alternated between planning all the things he and Isabella would do once they were free of this place, and pacing around the car terrified that something would go wrong. As the light in the sky started to dim and Edward exhausted the last of his patience he remembered the book he left in the cave, the one he bought for Isabella for Christmas.

It had only been a week since Edward experienced the best night of his life, and also the worst, even though he didn't know it at the time. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Cutting his eyes to the main road once, he took off through the woods for the caves a quarter mile away. He stayed under the cover of the woods until the last possible moment, hugging the last tree at the edge as he surveyed the area in front of him.

There were no cars, no signs of anything out of the ordinary, so with a quick breath Edward took off in a sprint toward the mouth of the cave.

Phil cursed under his breath as he drove down another side street. How he'd managed to lose a teenage boy within a couple of minutes made absolutely no sense to him. He'd spent the last several hours driving in circles, but it was almost like Edward had vanished off the face of the earth. Each second he went unfound was one more second he had an opportunity to do what he'd planned: take Isabella away. And Phil couldn't have that, not ever.

With a sigh he drove up the mountain toward the caves for the fourth time, not expecting to find him, but out of ideas of where else to look. His breath stilled in his chest when movement to his left caught his attention. His eyes widened in shock as he watched Edward run across the open area and into the cave.

A smile spread across his face as he drove slowly up the road until he was close enough where Edward wouldn't be able to get passed him and killed the engine. With confident motions he pushed himself out of the car and let the door fall shut behind him.

He took three long strides to the front of the car and leaned against the hood, flicking the safety harness of his gun belt open before crossing his arms over his chest. And then he waited.

Edward smiled as the bag he'd stuffed behind a grouping of rocks came into view. He leaned over the bag and pulled it open, trying not to dwell on the blanket folded haphazardly inside, the same blanket Isabella had laid on as she became his in every way.

Ignoring the tightening in his stomach he pushed the blanket aside and grabbed the book shoved to the bottom. The lettering of the title _The End_ gleamed against the fading rays of sunlight reaching into the darkness. He turned and jogged out of the cave, content in knowing that in a few short hours, it would all be over.

Edward had no idea how right he was.

Phil grinned as he watched Edward walk out of the cave, knowing that he'd won. He'd caught the bad guy.

Edward's face melted into a mask of hate the moment he stepped out of the cave and saw the sheriff leaning against the hood of the police car. His fingers tightened around the book in his hand as he squared his shoulders and stepped out into the open space.

"Edward Cullen," Phil stated formally, "I'm going to have to take you to the police station."

"On what grounds?"

"Well, I have a sworn statement here from Isabella Swan that names you as the assailant who attacked her," Phil answered, his face smug, his eyes superior.

Edward smirked, unable to control the anger surging through him. "Yeah, I'm sure you and Bella's mother had a good time writing that up in bed after a good romp," he goaded, loving the way Phil's professional facade fell and the monster he really was revealed itself.

"Watch it kid," Phil warned pushing off the car and stepping forward. "Don't speak of things you know nothing about."

"I know enough. I know you're a pathetic excuse of a police officer. I know you're sleeping with a married woman who beats the shit out of her kids while you stand by and do nothing." Edward's hand tightened around the book as his other hand balled into a fist.

Phil laughed, the sound low and dark. "I see where my sweet Isabella got her sudden fire. She's picked that up from you."

Edward stiffened at Phil's words, his stomach flipping at the possessive way he spoke about Isabella. "She's not your anything," he ground out.

Phil's expression was almost pitying as a sardonic smile spread across his face. "As much as I'm enjoying this, I've wasted enough time chasing you around. Now, turn around and put your hands on your head."

Edward shook his head, the book in his hand slipping from his fingers. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

A dark look passed over Phil's face as he stepped closer. "Are you resisting arrest? Am I going to have to take you by force? Because truly, there is nothing I would enjoy more."

Edward's eyes darted to the woods, he knew that he would be able to outrun Phil, but then what? He'd wasn't sure he'd be able to lose him completely.

"What's in this for you?" Edward asked, trying to buy some time so he could figure out how to get out of this mess.

Phil grinned internally, deciding he was due a little payback after all the trouble this kid had caused. "Isabella."

"Isabella, what?" Edward asked, his brows drawn in confusion.

"Isabella is what's in it for me. She's mine. She's always been mine. Your presence in her life interferes with that. So, if I remove you, I remove the problem."

Edward felt bitter bile burn the back of his throat as he let Phil's words sink in. "You're fucking sick," he choked, his hands beginning to shake as the first signs of adrenaline began surging through him. "Isabella doesn't belong to anyone. She makes her own choices. _She_ chooses who she wants to be with and she chose me."

Phil's face twisted into an ugly mask of rage. "Shut the fuck up you little shit. Isabella's just confused. She doesn't know what she's doing, you've messed with her mind, made her believe she's in love with you."

"I've messed with her mind?" He asked incredulously, his anger building, rising, pushing against the final restraints of conscious thought. "All you people have done is push your twisted, sick beliefs on her. I have_ never_ treated Bella with _anything_ but respect. Just like she deserves."

Edward ran a hand through his hair and smirked as he watched Phil's breathing accelerate, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "She's not confused. She loves me, she's _in love_ with me, just like I'm in love with her. Which is why she chose to be with me, why she chose to give herself to me. _In_ _every way_," he taunted, enunciating his words.

Like a rubber band stretched beyond it's limits, Phil snapped. Edward had just confirmed his greatest fear, and he would pay dearly.

With an animalistic roar Phil charged at Edward, his lowered shoulder colliding with Edward's stomach sending them both to the ground. Edward grunted as his back hit the ground, the air momentarily knocked from his body.

Phil sat back on his knees as he straddled Edward's chest. He reared his arm back and brought his fist down aiming directly for Edward's face. Edward jerked to the left just before he made contact, causing Phil's hand to slam into the hard rocky earth.

"Fuck!" Phil swore as sharp pain shot up his arm.

Edward took advantage of his distraction and lifted his torso bending his right arm and swinging it around so that his elbow connected hard with the side of Phil's face.

Phil tipped to the side and Edward shoved him hard before crab crawling out from under him. Phil recovered quickly and lunged for him again. Edward dropped to his back and drew his knee into his chest before kicking his leg out and slamming it into Phil's face. Blood exploded under Edward's shoe like a firework bursting in the sky as Phil fell onto his back.

Edward froze, his heart pounding and his eyes wide as he stared at Phil's unmoving body. The last traces of light were fading behind the mountain, the sky changing from bright pink to dark purple. The few birds that remained to face the cold of winter sang from their posts. The wind blew softly, causing the brush and undergrowth that had died and dried up to scratch against the rocky exterior of the cave.

Edward's loud, panting breaths were the only sounds breaking the solace of the approaching twilight. Suddenly a gurgling laugh, distorted by blood and saliva came from Phil. He turned his head to the side and spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, lifting his hand to his shattered nose.

"Well," he wheezed, pushing himself up until he was facing Edward. "I won't have any trouble convincing anyone that you resisted arrest and I had to defend myself. And with you dead, nothing will stop me from having Isabella."

Phil reached for his gun as realization dawned on Edward that Phil intended to shoot him. Without a moments hesitation Edward sprung to his feet and dove for Phil, knocking the gun from his hand.

"You'll never fucking touch her!" Edward thundered, wrestling to get a grip around Phil. But Phil was ready this time and didn't miss when he drew back his fist and slammed it into Edward's face.

Pain exploded in Edward's eye as he fell onto his back. Phil crawled over his and leaned forward, pressing his forearm into Edward's neck forcefully.

"I will touch her," he sneered. "I'll touch her any way I want and there's not a fucking thing you can do about it. Don't you see, your little plan to escape has already failed. Isabella's been taken home."

Edward stomach dropped as he grasped frantically at Phil's arm, his vision beginning to shimmer and fade. Realizing he couldn't budge him, he reached behind his head, feeling for something, anything to help. His fingers brushed against the side of a rock and he gripped it tightly, using all of his strength to propel it over his head bash it into Phil's face.

Edward didn't retreat as he'd done before, instead when Phil fell back Edward crawled over him, raising the rock with both hands and bringing it down on Phil's face once more. When he lifted it again blood dripped down his hands and arms, pieces of torn and mangled flesh sticking to the surface.

"You will never fucking touch her!" The rock made contact again, the skin on Phil's forehead splitting and the bone underneath cracking. Blood splattered over Edward's face and chest, but he didn't notice, his only focus was making sure that the last breath Phil ever took would be right here. Which is why he didn't see Phil's hand curl around the handle of his gun off to the side and drag it between him, he only felt the searing pain as the bullet tore through his abdomen.

Edward gasped and fell forward, his fingers locking around the rock in a death grip. Before Phil had a chance to fire again, Edward used every bit of strength he had remaining and raised the rock above his head. With brutal force he crushed the rock into Phil's face, his skull cracking and splitting open, the gun falling limply from his hand, his chest now still.

Edward rolled off Phil and clutched his side as he groaned in pain. He tried to focus, but his mind was blinded by the burning in his side. He raised his hand to his face, watching the warm, thick liquid coat his skin.

He blinked, spots flickering in front of his eyes, like the stars hanging brightly in the dark sky above. Isabella. They took her. He coughed as he pushed himself to his feet. He kept a hand firmly pressed into his side as he stumbled to his car, he needed to get out of here. If Phil knew about the plan, then so did her parents.

He had to get to her.

Blindly he tripped through the woods, bouncing off the trees one behind the other. He snatched open the car door and fell heavily into the seat, the overhead light illuminating the blood covering his body, both his and Phil's.

A hundred different thoughts bombarded his mind as he considered all the things they could be doing to her right now. He had to get to her, he had to save her, he promised.

He started the car and whipped it around, hitting a tree in the process. Flipping his headlights on he turned onto the main road and pushed the pedal down. His vision swam as the headlights cut into the darkness, his hands trembling as he tried to maneuver the car down the winding road.

The phone to his side rang causing him to startle. He looked over to the passenger's seat and reached for the phone, clutching it in his bloody hand. When his eyes focused on the road once more he didn't have time to react before the sound of screeching metal rang out into the night and everything went black.

* * *

**A/N**

***chants like I'm holding a séance* trust me, trust me, trust me.**

**Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy...couldn't do this without you.**

**See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	12. The Penultimate Peril

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

**The Penultimate Peril**

"_The last safe place is safe no more." _

Isabella smiled at the nurse as she rolled her into the room, but her eyes were distant, glazed.

"I can help from here," Alice said sweetly as she stepped out of the bathroom.

Isabella's head turned toward her sister, pain and anger clawing at her chest as she thought about how she may have been involved in everything that happened. A part of her wanted to take Alice with her, help her get away from their parents and give her a chance to start over as well.

But something stopped her, some uneasy twist in her stomach that told her Alice was too far gone, that she had become just like their parents.

Alice glanced down at Isabella's hand and smiled. "I see you didn't break it."

Isabella dropped her gaze to the icepack resting on top of her wrist and shook her head. "Nope."

Alice hummed in response before addressing the nurse. "My mother is on her way. She spoke with the doctor earlier and he's having someone prepare Isabella's release papers as we speak. I have her clothes, so I'll help her get changed."

Isabella's eyes snapped to Alice, their dull, glaze burned away with fiery determination. "Why the rush? I'm really tired, I think I should get a little more rest before leaving," Isabella cut in, her eyes sliding over to the phone.

"You can rest for a bit longer, honey. I'm sure―" the nurse began before Alice cut her off.

"Actually she can't," Alice said flatly. "There seems to be an issue with our insurance so the doctor has agreed to put a rush on things since you're feeling better. Don't worry, Isabella, you'll get all the rest you need at home."

"Ah, there you are," Renee sang walking over to Isabella and leaning over so her mouth was next to her ear. "Say another word and I promise you'll regret it."

Isabella recoiled from the feel of Renee's lips as she pressed them against her cheek. The nurse looked around the room before Renee stood and faced her. "I've got it from here, thank you so much for everything you've done for Isabella. The entire staff has been wonderful."

The nurse nodded her head and backed out of the room, she'd heard this family was a bit strange, but that seemed like a gross understatement. Her skin prickled with goosebumps as she walked swiftly down the hall.

Renee's mask dropped as soon at the door fell shut. "Here," she spat, throwing the bag of clothes into Isabella's lap. "Go put these on, we're leaving in ten minutes. And I swear to you, little girl, if you give me any trouble what happened to you will be nothing compared to what will happen to your precious Edward."

Isabella stiffened, her eyes darting between her mother and Alice, who were wearing almost the exact same ugly masks of hate. Her fingers twitched as she tightened her hold on the bag in her lap, images swirling in her mind as she tried to make sense of what Renee was implying.

"Where is he?" she asked, her voice low, but even, calm.

"I don't have to answer your questions," Renee sneered, wanting nothing more than the smack that defiant mouth of hers. The moment they were home, there would be hell to pay.

"And I don't have to go anywhere with you." Isabella smiled. "You can get me thrown out of here, but you can't make me go home with you."

Alice gasped, her eyes wide as she watched her mother ball her fists and take a deep breath.

"Isabella," she ground out, "if you want to know where, and with who, your precious Edward is, I suggest you get dressed. But I can tell you where he won't be. He won't coming here to get you so the two of you can run away together."

Renee smiled smugly as she watched a look of horror cross Isabella's face. "That's right. I know all about your plan. Did you really think you could outsmart me?"

Isabella swallowed and rose from the wheelchair. Without a word she moved into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She stared at her reflection in the mirror as she let the hospital gown slip from her shoulders and fall to the floor. She raised her hand to her face and traced the outline of the bruise covering her cheek before trailing her finger down her neck and between her breasts.

Suddenly she was back in the cave and Edward was moving over her, his hot breath fanning over her neck as their slick skin slid together. There was no hospital, no hateful faces promising pain, only whispered words of love and forever.

She blinked, a tear rolling down her cheek as the hum of the fan overhead pulled her back into the hospital bathroom. She lifted her arm to the mirror and cocked her head to the side before tracing the trail of the tear suspended on her chin against her reflection in the glass.

The shimmering salty ball of liquid wobbled before finally succumbing to the force of gravity and free falling from her chin and splattering on the white surface of the sink. How easily it gave up, how easily it let itself be pulled down and destroyed, separated.

She lifted her gaze back to her reflection, the whites of her eyes bright against the red spidery veins webbing over her eyes. She had to be stronger, she had to fight harder. For Edward. Anything for Edward.

She pulled her shirt over her head before sliding on her jeans, the pain in her ribs barely noticeable. She smoothed her hand over her hair before stepping out into the room once more.

"Finally. Move it," Renee barked, walking out of the room and to the elevators.

Alice looked at Isabella and sneered before muttering,"so stupid," under her breath and following her mother.

Isabella smiled indulgently and followed behind Alice, her stiff legs causing her gait to be awkward and jerky. The elevator doors slid shut and Isabella once again stared blankly at her reflection, her fingers twitching randomly as her mind slowly wrapped around itself, preparing for the hell she was sure to endure in the very near future.

The car ride home Isabella sat quietly, her hands folded in her lap as she watched the outside world pass her by.

"Well, well, well." Charlie smirked as she walked in the front door. "If it isn't my poor, beloved daughter. I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you standing in front of me after being attacked so viciously by that boy. I told you never to talk to boys but you didn't listen, you see what happens? Daddy always knows best."

Isabella's chest rose and fell heavily as she stared at him. Something dark, black, began brewing inside of her. The tethers that held her complacent, grounded and small, stretched and pulled, a single thread snapping and fluttering away, twisting in the winds of change.

"Alice," Renee said, moving next to Charlie so she could see Isabella's face clearly. "Since you proved to be useful for once in your life, why don't you share with Isabella what you found today."

Alice shifted nervously as Isabella turned her head slowly in her direction, her face smooth, blank. Her hair, stringy from being unwashed, fell over her shoulder in separate chunks.

She cleared her throat and reached inside her pocket, pulling out the note Edward had left Isabella in the hospital. She looked over at her parents who were watching her, amused smiles on both their faces. Alice's heart stuttered as she took in their expressions. Neither were glaring, no twisted smiles or hateful words. No, both seemed...proud.

Any hope Alice had of being a good person, of showing compassion or decency vanished in that moment. Because she wanted their approval, and if breaking Isabella was the only way to get it, then so be it.

"I found this," Alice said, waving the paper in front of her. "Your boyfriend left it in the hospital for you, he―"

"Give it to me," Isabella demanded, her voice trembling with barely restrained rage, another tethered thread snapping and floating away.

"You were right, Renee." Charlie nodded stepping closer to Isabella. "She _has_ gotten awful mouthy."

But Isabella wasn't listening to Charlie, she didn't even bother to acknowledge him, her single-minded focus only on the scrap of paper clutched in her sister's hand.

"It's a good thing I was able to tip Phil off that Edward hadn't left town like his parents believed, it made it a lot easier to track him down." Renee laughed, the sound hollow as Isabella's ears began to ring.

She blinked once, then again, and again, and again. Each time closing her eyes a little tighter, a little longer.

Phil. Phil what? Phil had Edward? Was he in jail? Dread swelled inside of Isabella, gaining speed and rushing to the surface, pulsing like a live entity as it crested and froze, held suspended above her on a knife edge.

"What did he do?" she rasped, a sharp pain stabbing behind her eyes. It sliced down her spine and out through her arms and legs, her body trembling as she fought to keep her knees from buckling. A hum buzzed in her ears, louder, softer, higher, lower. She lifted her hands to either side of her face and pressed her palms flat against her temples, but it was relentless.

"He handled him, Isabella, just like I told you he would," Renee taunted. She shifted her eyes to the clock, wondering why she hadn't heard from Phil, but didn't give it much thought. The idea she wouldn't hear from him ever again never crossed her mind.

Isabella made a keening noise in the back of her throat, the sound agonizing and tortured as she began to sway back and forth. She dropped a hand to her stomach and gasped, the feeling of being burned inside out spreading through her.

"Give it to me," she begged, her eyes glassy and tear-filled as she stared pleadingly at her sister.

Alice stepped to the side, her gaze locked with Isabella's as she reached for the lighter on the table.

"No," Isabella whimpered, her hand extended forward. "Alice, _please_. No."

Without blinking Alice flicked the lighter and touched it to the paper before dropping it into the ashtray and watching the ashes swirl into the air.

The dread, held in suspension above her like a guillotine―pregnant with madness and despair― finally gave, crashing over her like a tidal wave. The force was so unyielding in its quest for destruction that the tethers, the last few threads of the ribbon holding Isabella's mind together, severed and split.

She disconnected, unhinged, broke.

Isabella would never be the same.

Renee walked over to Isabella and wrapped her fingers under her chin, tilting her face until they were looking directly at one another. "If you ever try and defy me again you'll have wished your father would have finished you," she growled before slapping her across the face.

Her lip, that had barely healed, burst open, a fresh trial of blood running down her chin and neck.

She didn't even flinch.

"It seems we've given you too much free time, Isabella," Charlie remarked, walking around her in a slow circle. "But we're going to correct that mistake starting now. You're going to make dinner and then you're going to clean the kitchen. And instead of sleeping until seven in the morning you're going to get up at five. I shouldn't have to remind you what will happen if you're not at the door when I open it. Do you understand me?"

Isabella raised her bowed head and lifted her wet lashes until she was staring directly at Charlie.

"Yes, daddy," she breathed, her index finger twitching rapidly at her side.

Charlie's eyes widened for a brief moment, a sliver of fear washing over him before his face hardened into its usual mask. "Go," he barked.

Isabella merely nodded as she crossed the room into the kitchen, a slow smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as her gaze landed on Alice.

No, Isabella would never be the same.

She moved around the kitchen mechanically as her mother and father shoved their faces into the bottom of a bottle and Alice sat across from them, enjoying her momentary reprieve and basking in the glow of their acceptance.

Isabella opened the side drawer and pulled out a large knife. Methodically she sliced through the vegetables, and browned the meat. Chop, slice, flip.

Edward. Edward. Edward.

They would pay. They _all_ would pay, there would be no escape.

Her eyes lingered on Renee's purse. She knew the keys to her car would be inside, but that wasn't what Isabella was interested in. No, what she was interested in was the silver key that fit the lock to her bedroom.

With unhurried steps she moved across the kitchen and fished out Renee's keys, twisted the one she wanted from the ring and slid it into her pocket. Yes, they would all pay, starting tonight.

Hours later a drunken Charlie twisted his key into the lock of Isabella's door before stumbling to his bedroom. She looked around her room, noticing there were no traces of the blood she'd spilled after his vicious attack.

She walked slowly over to her window, pressing her palm flat against the pane as she stared out into the dark night. She let her gaze drop, noticing that large nails had been driven to the frame, sealing it shut.

"Like a tomb," she whispered, her hand falling to her side. She slipped off her shoes and socks, before tugging her shirt over her head and pushing her jeans to the floor. Her bare feet padded across the cold hardwood to her dresser. Opening her top drawer she pulled out her nightgown. The white cotton soft with age and it's long sleeves covered her arms and draped down to her calves.

She picked up her jeans and shook the key into her palm. The muscles in her neck tightened as she crossed the room, the spasms so severe her entire right shoulder lifted each time.

Sliding the key into the lock she smiled as the click of the chamber disengaging echoed in the room. She walked out into the hall and softly pulled the door shut behind her before moving down the stairs and into the kitchen.

She opened the same drawer Renee had stuffed the scissors into and pulled them out before digging around in the junk drawer again, adding duct tape and a lighter next to the scissors.

She pulled the items into her arms, pausing to grab the knife she'd used while preparing dinner earlier before heading back up the stairs. She slid the key into the lock and twisted, the door creaking open, the faint light from the hall casting around Isabella's dark form.

She stepped soundlessly through the door and closed it behind her, twisting the lock into place once more. She moved to the bed and stared down at Alice as she lay sleeping, her face smooth and pretty. Angelic almost.

The memory of Alice flicking the lighter to the last connection she had to Edward washed over her, and her mind suddenly closed. There was no conscious thought as she pulled a length of tape from the roll and pressed it over her sister's mouth.

Alice jerked awake when she felt the bed dip, her eyes widening in fear when she realized she couldn't open her mouth and that her sister was straddled over her, the look on her face terrifying.

She struggled to move, but Isabella had her pinned as she lifted first one arm then the other, making a figure eight as she wound the duct tape around her wrist and to the post of her headboard. Alice tried to kick her legs, but Isabella only scooted down further until all her weight was resting on the tops of her thighs.

Tears leaked from her eyes as she shook her head no, trying to make eye contact, to somehow reach the vacant eyes of Isabella and pull her back from wherever she'd gone.

But Isabella wouldn't be pulled back, and she would show no mercy because these people, her family, had broken her and it was about time they paid their penance for a change.

"Did you know?" Isabella asked, reaching for the scissors. "That Renee was going to cut off all my hair?" She grabbed a lock of Alice's long, dark hair and cut it at the scalp, letting it flutter to the ground.

"But Phil saved me," Isabella sighed, snapping the scissors closed again on another chunk of hair. "And by saved me, of course, I mean that he didn't want Renee to cut off all my hair, because then he wouldn't have anything to hold onto while he fucked me."

Alice froze, she'd never heard Isabella swear, and the casual way she spoke of having sex cemented for Alice, that Isabella was not here. She was gone. And there was nothing she could do.

Isabella continued on, unaware that Alice had realized she wouldn't be leaving that room alive.

"But I wasn't always so lucky, like the time Charlie was waiting for me in my bedroom." Isabella picked up the lighter and flicked it, holding her hand above the flame briefly before tipping the lighter to the side and letting the heat warm the metal around the top.

"I hate to believe you had anything to do with him finding out I was gone, but you, missy," she tsked, "have a tendency of being a bit of a tattle tale."

She pressed the red hot metal of the lighter against the left and then the right lid of Alice's eyes. "Maybe if you didn't try to see so much you wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Alice screamed in pain, her cries muffled by the tape covering her mouth and she writhed underneath Isabella in an attempt to get loose.

"We could have helped each other, we could have stuck together, but at the first opportunity to help yourself you left me on my own. But I can forgive you for that, because you've been through almost the same hell as me."

Isabella dropped the lighter and picked up the knife, Alice's eyes growing wide as the tip scraped over her arm, leaving a trail of red blooming behind it.

"But what I _can't_ forgive, what I _won't _forgive," she hissed, twin tears trailing down her cheeks as her hands shook and the knife pressed harder, cutting deeper, slicing into the underside of Alice's forearm. "Is what your hate and your selfish heart has done to Edward."

"Isa―" Alice moaned, the sound muffled and broken as Isabella lifted the knife and moved to Alice's other arm cutting a matching line from her wrist to the bend of her elbow, the flesh splitting open, the vein gushing out a river of red.

Alice turned her head to the right, then to the left, watching the blood flow from her arms and stain the bed. Snot and tears covered her face and her mouth filled with vomit that couldn't be expelled.

Isabella blinked, the knife falling limply to her lap, the white cotton nightgown stained and covered in red. "He's the only person I've ever loved, the only person who's ever loved me," she whispered, an ache pulsing in her chest. "You've taken that away from me, you all have."

She stood from the bed and walked to the door as Alice's eyes began to droop, her body going limp as her heart slowed, and her life's blood drained from her arms.

With a glazed look over her shoulder from the doorway she said her final words to her sister before closing the door behind her. "And all of you will pay for that. All of you."

Twisting the lock into place she walked back to her room, dropping the knife on the bedside table before curling up in the corner of her bedroom and drawing her knees into her chest.

"One down."

* * *

**A/N**

***still chanting***

**Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy were very pleased with this one. Which means that me creeping myself out was totally worth it. ;)**

**Thanks to Mizzdee for giving QSS a shout out in her last update!**

**One more to go! See y'all tomorrow!**

**~Liv**


	13. The End

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

****before you read, if you want to get into the same head space as me, which is pretty terrifying I might add, go to my profile, scroll down to where I have the QSS banner and click on the audio inspiration. That's the creepy version that inspired this whole mess and I listened to it on repeat while writing this chapter. Thank you for finding it Jo, ILY****

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen **

**The End**

"_The end of this unhappy chronicle is like its bad beginning, as each misfortune only reveals another, and another, and another..."_

"One down," Isabella muttered again, her throat dry, her eyes red and swollen.

She rose from the floor and looked down at her blood stained nightgown, the material dry and stiff. The glowing numbers on the clock showed it was a little after four in the morning. Isabella had no idea how long she'd been tucked away in the corner of her bedroom, her sense of time all but lost.

Pulling the gown from her body she dropped it to the floor and stepped into the jeans she'd worn earlier. Absently she moved to the closet and pushed around the few ratty hand-me-down tops that hung from the rod. She paused when her fingers brushed against the worn material of a sweater Renee had given her last year when it was no longer suitable for her.

The sweater was nothing special, the neck stretched and torn, the material pilled and scratchy, but it wasn't the sweater itself that made tears spring to her eyes and tumble down her cheeks. It was the deep, jade color that reminded her so much of Edward's eyes.

She yanked the sweater from its hanger and pressed it to her face, a choking sob caught in her throat as she pictured his face. A face she would give anything to see again, to touch and kiss and hug against her. But she'd never be able to do that again now. She pushed her arms through the sleeves and pulled it over her head, ignoring the dried blood caked on her hands.

It was inconsequential. As was the source.

She paced around the room, her mind blank and overflowing as she stared at the walls, the floor, the ceiling, around and around. Memories played on a loop in her head, memories from her childhood when she couldn't understand why mommy and daddy were angry with her. When they would yell and scream and her sister would tell lies about Isabella to get out of whatever mischief she had caused.

"_Isabella!" Renee screamed, her staggered gate showing the severity of her alcohol intake, the hateful pitch of her voice preparing Isabella for the violent blows that were sure to follow._

"_Please, please, please," she chanted as the blows rained harder, hate thickening in the air like tar until the oxygen was snuffed out, coating her pain like quicksand ― pulling her under._

"_Mercy?" Renee sneered, her grip tightening around the soft leather of the belt, while the bite of the hard metal cut into the pliant flesh of her pathetic daughter._

"_You were bore from the Devil, you deserve to suffer all his sins." And with that she raised her arm and struck her child over and over again, leather and metal lacerating her tender human shield of skin, welting and breaking open all that was good and pure, turning it into the blackness that would consume her soul._

Then later she finally understood, she grasped that her parents thought she'd somehow been responsible for the death of her twin brother. She realized that her mother was a drunk and a whore, and her father was a bitter man who was too much of a coward to confront his wife and demand more from her.

But none of that mattered now, they would have an eternity to bicker over all the ways their lives were miserable and it was everyone's fault but their own as they shared their own corner of Hell together. Because that's where they would go, Isabella would make sure of that.

The constant physical and mental abuse they had inflicted upon Isabella―which she thought she'd built walls high enough to combat―all came crashing down when they took away her love. Her broken mind now matched her broken body and the quiet, compliant girl they had forced into a life of misery was no more.

Isabella stood at her bedroom door, her head bowed, her hands slack at her side when the lock of her bedroom twisted. Charlie grunted when he saw her standing at the door dressed, his head pounding from his excessive drinking the night before, his body craving the sleep it needed to recover.

"Make the house shine, Isabella, and have breakfast waiting on me when I come down," he barked before stumbling back to his bedroom, intent on getting a couple more hours of sleep.

She nodded and stepped out into the hall, having no intentions of cleaning another thing in that house ever again. She moved down the hall and through the living room until she was standing outside of the small workroom Renee used when she was pregnant with her and Emmett; when Renee was actually happy and enjoyed hobbies other than drinking and sleeping with other men. She'd only been in the room a few times, the colorful quilts and soft, blue baby bibs and hats too much of a reminder of how differently things would have turned out had her brother lived.

She moved to the corner where a paint easel stood, covered in dust and grime. She pushed it to the side and grabbed the box underneath before setting it on the desk,flipping open the lid. Inside the box was a dozen or so bottles of different fragrances along with some other items used for making soap.

But Isabella wasn't interested in those. She grabbed the container filled with lye and turned from the room and into the kitchen. She hummed a song quietly as she opened the fridge and pulled out everything she would need to make a spread for breakfast. Daddy will be pleased to have such a meal to help with that dreadful hangover he was suffering from.

She cracked the eggs in a bowl and added several shots of hot sauce just like he liked before shaking some of the lye into the mixture and setting it aside. Over and over she repeated the same process, with the bacon, and the pancakes, and the creamer for his coffee.

She began cooking everything and started a pot of coffee, even pulling out the tomato juice for a Bloody Mary. Lots of hot sauce, lots of pepper and a little lye, just to add a bit more heat.

She giggled as she thought about just how much heat he would soon be feeling.

Charlie rolled over in bed and looked at the clock, unsure why he was awake again when it was only a little before seven. His pulled in a deep breath and tried to swallow around the cotton in his mouth. His stomach rumbled and he sat up a little straighter, the smell of bacon and coffee and something sweet making his mouth water.

He pushed out of bed and stumbled down the stairs, his eyes widening as he looked at the spread of food set out on the kitchen table.

"What is this?" he barked, not understanding why Isabella would make such a huge breakfast.

Isabella turned slowly from the stove, sliding the hot pan from the burner and releasing it. "I've been bad," she answered, her expression contrite as she twisted her fingers together in front of her. "I've caused so much trouble. I want to be better. I want to give you everything you deserve, it's the least I can do."

Charlie narrowed his eyes as he moved around the table to his chair and pulled it out slowly. "You have been bad. Don't think that this will make a bit of difference, Isabella. You'll never be able to make up for all that you have done."

"I understand," she whispered, her bottom lip protruding slightly, her eyes repentant. "But I can try harder. I can try and make sure that you are taken care of properly."

"Fine," he huffed, a feeling of unease crawling over his skin. "Pour my coffee."

Isabella nodded and turned to grab the coffee. Charlie stared at her back for a moment before loading up his plate, unable to see the slow smile that crept over her face as her flat, dark eyes unfocused, her pupils so wide her eyes were black. Eclipsed by the darkness inside her.

"I made you a Blood Mary as well, I even doubled the hot sauce, just as you like."

Charlie's eyes slid to the drink, his mouth watering at the thought of letting the fiery liquid slide down his throat and burn away the remaining traces of his hangover. In three quick gulps the drink was gone and Charlie's mouth was an inferno.

"Holy shit," he choked grabbing a piece of bacon and shoving it in his mouth. The fire clawed at his throat, burning like acid as the heat worked it's way down to his stomach.

"How much―" he gagged, his eyes watering, "how much fucking hot sauce was in that?"

Isabella turned to her father, concern etched in her features. "Too much?" she asked innocently.

Charlie grabbed at his throat, his mouth moving, but no sound coming out as the fire grew hotter.

"Maybe have a bite of the pancakes, it might take away some of the heat. And here's your coffee, maybe you just need to wash down the Blood Mary," she offered helpfully.

Charlie, desperate for relief, shoved a piece of pancake in his mouth, the warm fluffy substance doing nothing to curb the pain. He sipped the coffee, his hand shaking as he lifted the cup to his mouth, the scalding heat from the temperature nothing compared to the flames licking the inside of his body.

Saliva filled his mouth as his stomach twisted and his vision warbled. He stumbled to the sink and heaved, the burn only intensifying each time the acid in his stomach rose higher. Isabella stood to the side, her fingers laced together, her head cocked as she gazed impassively at the white foam starting to bubble from Charlie's mouth. Each time he gagged the color darkened, from white, to pink, to red when more blood mixed with his vomit as the lye ate away at his body.

"What―" he gurgled, staggering around to face her, "did you do?"

Isabella straightened her head and beamed at her father. Her smile stretched wide across her face, too wide, making her appear cartoonish and terrifying. "I," she sang taking three graceful steps over the the counter and grabbing the knife she'd used earlier, "am giving you everything you deserve, _Daddy_."

The smile vanished from her face, transforming into narrowed eyes, flat lips and angry drawn brows as she approached him slowly, her pulse accelerating with each step.

"Does it hurt?" she taunted, pressing the tip of the knife into the first layer of skin on his stomach.

Charlie knocked her hand away and reached for her throat, his gasping breaths and clumsy movement making it easy for Isabella to step back smoothly as his hand swatted through the air.

"Oh no, Daddy," she tsked, shaking the knife back and forth in front of him. "You don't get to ever do that again."

"You...bitch," he choked, the skin around his mouth welting, red angry spots breaking open and bleeding.

Isabella stepped forward and in one quick motion drove the blade of the knife deep into his abdomen. Charlie doubled over and groaned in pain as she ripped the knife from his body and drove it in again, twisting it this time before snatching it back out.

Blood splattered across Isabella's face and dripped onto the floor from the knife. "That's no way," she ground out, her voice low and hard as she reached for his shoulder and shoved him to his knees, "to talk to your _beloved daughter_."

She raised the knife, gripping the handle with both hands before bringing it down with all her strength into his back, over...and over...and over again, until her arms shook and Charlie was face down on the kitchen floor surrounded in a pool of his own blood, his body still.

Breathing heavily,Isabella tugged the knife from his back and leaned against the counter as she stared down at her father.

"That's two." She smiled before a frown ghosted over her face and her eyes flickered with recognition. Edward's image appeared before her, smiling eyes, a soft smile and true love's warmth. Her breath caught as she moved to step forward, her eyes glued to his beautiful face. But just as quickly as he was there he was gone, if he was ever really there at all. A tear dripped from her eye as she pulled in a stuttering breath, the ache in her chest so painful she just wanted to curl up into a ball on the floor and never move again.

She turned her head slowly toward the ceiling when music began playing from the old record player in her parents bedroom, breaking the eerie silence of the house. Discorded piano music reached her ears, the accompanying instruments reminding her of carnival music she'd seen on a movie at school once.

The funhouse mirrors came to mind again and just like that Isabella began to retreat once more. The darkness that swathed and protected her danced around in her head like a gleeful sprite, it's fanged smile full of mirth while it's pointy claws carved into her brain.

"One more," she whispered. She turned to the stove and flicked on the heat before moving the pan full of bacon grease over the flame. "One more."

Renee lit a cigarette as she stared in mirror, using her fingers to pull back the sagging skin around her eyes. She hated looking at herself in the mirror, watching as her youth leaked from her body almost as much as she hated seeing it blooming fully in the fresh faces of her daughters.

She pulled the bottle of vodka from the cabinet and took two large gulps before stumbling back into the bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her phone once more, her stomach twisting with nerves as she wondered again why she hadn't heard from Phil.

She laid back on her bed trying to fight off the sudden bout of nausea that washed over her, having no idea of the horror that awaited her.

Isabella waited until the grease popped and hissed in the pan causing splatters of the scalding hot liquid to burn against her skin. She looked down at Charlie's lifeless body before sighing in annoyance and stepping over him to grab the coffee pot. She poured the black liquid down the sink and dumped the remainder of the lye inside before stepping over Charlie once more and setting the pot next to the stove.

With a small grin she lifted the pan and poured the grease inside, the mixture of the grease and lye causing the chemical to smoke and pop. Flipping the lid down she wrapped her fingers around the handle with one hand and grabbed her knife with the other. With a satisfied nod she turned for the stairs.

It was time to pay mommy a visit.

Isabella glided up the stairs noticing that the same song seemed to be playing on repeat as the tinkling of the piano keys continued. She hesitated in the open doorway for a moment, gazing blankly at her mother lying across the bed, her phone clutched to her chest.

Isabella wondered if that was what Edward looked like as he waited for her to call and tell him that she had accused him of nearly beating her to death. Her jaw tightened and her eye began to dance, her muscles flexing and relaxing, fast then slow, almost in tempo with the music.

She crossed the room and stared down at her mother as a cruel smile spread across her face.

"Wakey, wakey, mother," she sang.

Renee's eyes snapped open, her mouth going slack as she took in her daughters face, twisted with rage and covered in blood. But that was the only reaction Renee was allowed before Isabella raised the coffee pot and poured the scalding hot mixture over her face.

Her scream was ear splitting as her skin was doused in flesh devouring heat. Her eyes squeezed shut, but not before the liquid seeped into their corners and began dissolving the top layer. She clawed at her face as blisters immediately rose then burst as the lye melted away the skin, causing pus to weep from her face.

She rolled from the bed and fell to the floor before crawling to the bathroom, her agonizing screams drowning out the sound of the record player. Isabella gentle set the empty pot on the bedside table and turned toward the bathroom, walking lazily behind her.

Renee leaned over the side of the tub and turned the cold water to full blast as she frantically splashed the water over her face. Isabella leaned casually against the door frame, using the knife in her hand to scrape away the dried blood from under her nails.

Renee's screams never lessened as she choked out a strangled, "why?"

"Well," Isabella began thoughtfully, tapping the knife to her chin. "I know how you like to burn things, I thought it would be only fitting to give you a little of your own medicine.

"I'd like to say that I plan to drag this out, make you suffer an ounce of the torment that you've put me through, but I know how much you must be dying to crawl into your corner of Hell and cry about all the things I've done to you."

"I should have killed you when I had the chance!" Renee shrieked, falling away from the tub, her hands pressing against her face as flesh slipped through her fingers like melting wax.

Isabella's face grew serious as she dropped the knife to her side. "Yes," she said solemnly as she slowly nodded her head. "You should have."

Renee pressed her back into the wall and pushed herself to her feet. She stumbled to left and grasped the countertop, looking for something, anything to use to as a weapon. She grabbed the bottle of vodka, clutching the small end as she reared back her arm and launched it at Isabella.

Isabella dodged to the left, but the bottle still managed to slam into her side, the contact making her wince and stumble backward as her ribs took the brunt of the blow.

Renee took advantage of the opening and moved to rush passed Isabella, but before she could get out into the open space Isabella thrust the knife into Renee side before ripping it back out.

Renee screamed and staggered down the stairs, her vision distorted as her eyesight slowly faded. She clutched her side as she stood at the bottom of the stairs gasping for air before placing her blood-soaked hand on the wall for support.

Isabella came behind her and wrapped her hand in her hair before yanking her head back. She wrapped her other arm around Renee's waist and with a slow forceful motion she dragged the knife across Renee's stomach and split the flesh wide open.

Blood sprayed over the hallway as Renee mewled in agony. Isabella shoved her forward causing Renee to slam into the wall and leave a bloody imprint of her body. She fell forward through the kitchen door her scream growing impossibly louder when her cloudy vision took in Charlie's lifeless eyes staring vacantly back at her.

"Charlie," she sobbed.

"Yes, yes, yes," Isabella sighed. "Poor pitiful, Charlie. A man you no longer loved but refused to leave. A man that you cheated on constantly with a filthy pig who didn't love you any more than you loved Charlie. You don't get to mourn anyone, you have no idea what real love is. I did, but you had to take that away from me because you're a selfish cunt who can't see past her own needs."

Renee's vision had completely darkened at the edges, only a sliver of light remaining as she dragged her body over to where Charlie lay, leaving a trail of smeared blood behind her.

Isabella shook her head in disgust as she followed behind her,waiting to drive the final nails in Renee's coffin before she snuffed out her light completely.

"He never loved you," she taunted as Renee slumped over Charlie. "Did you know that he was waiting for me to graduate and then he planned on taking me away from here and never seeing you again."

"You're...lying," Renee mumbled, her hands shoving the parts inside her that had started to push their way from her gaping wound.

"You know that I'm not. Don't be so simple, Renee. You knew. You just chose to ignore it. You're all the same, everyone ignoring everyone. You all deserve one another."

A sadness ripped through Isabella as she realized she would be truly alone now. Not that she had any desire to remain with these soulless monsters another moment of her existence but... Edward was gone. She knew that now. He wasn't coming for her. She would be stuck in this world alone, only having tasted what true happiness really was before having it ripped away all too soon.

The knife slipped from her hand as she stared unseeing at the wall in front of her. Numbness washed over her as she floated on the edge of reality, hovering between here and becoming lost in the memories of her past. Her time with Edward, when everything made sense and she was loved.

She wanted to stay there, in those memories. To remember how she curled into his side as they would smile and laugh, and hold each other close. When he would kiss her nose and call her Bella and tell her how he loved her more than anything in the world.

Lost on her memories she never noticed Renee crawl across the floor and grasp the knife, nor did she notice her stagger to her feet. Renee clutched onto Isabella's shoulder, her eyes hate- filled and evil as she spoke. "You will burn in hell."

Isabella let her eyes drift, and spread her arms wide as Renee plunged the knife into her stomach. Renee fell back, blood spraying from her lips as she slammed into the floor.

Isabella looked down at the knife protruding from her stomach and grasped the handle slowly sliding it from her body. She fell to her knees in front of Renee and leaned forward.

"What will be, will be," Isabella sang before lifting the knife to Renee's throat and splitting it open.

Isabella closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, her hand twitching at her side as thick crimson liquid dripped from her hand. She climbed to her feet and moved out of the kitchen and to the hall, her smile small and satisfied as she gazed blankly at the walls surrounding her, blood covering every surface ― telling stories that voices would never tell, could never tell.

One step, two step, red step, red step. Music echoed in the background as she glided down the hall, her face blank, emotionless as the knife in her left hand dragged against the the worn wallpaper, slicing it open just like the people she'd left bleeding and dying behind her.

The old record player crackled and popped as music floated through the air, the happy upbeat tempo causing Bella to sway her steps, the knife's tip dancing along the wall, light and hard pressure mimicking the thrusts into her family's bodies.

Her voice rang out, echoing off the walls, both hollow and full, the pitch low and gravelly from her previous exertion.

"_When I was just a little girl_

_I asked my mother, what will I be_

_Will I be pretty, will I be rich_

_Here's what she said to me."_

Bright light flashed behind her closed lids, flickering to images that both made her pulse quicken with excitement, and her stomach knot with dread.

The look on the faces of her family as the life drained from their bodies, the cruel twisted mouth of her sister as she burned the last thing Edward had ever given her, and of course Edward.

Always Edward.

Bella closed her eyes briefly, fighting off the fatigue, the undeniable end that would greet her in the near future as more blood spilled from her side.

She stumbled to the living room, her vision blurred as she sucummed to the fatigue of blood loss, the wound in her side seeping her life's blood out into the open air, freeing her from her flesh.

She fell to her knees, the knife clattering to the floor as it slipped from her fingers.

"_What's this?" Edward asked, tracing a dark spot on her skin just below her breast._

"_It's a birthmark," she whispered, her voice shy as she lay before him so openly._

_He leaned down and kissed the mark, tracing it with his tongue. "The day the other half of my soul was born. It should be marked."_

She groaned, the pain in her body warring with the pain in her heart for dominance, the beautiful image of Edward's face flickering from bright smiles and soft hands to flat, lifeless eyes and pale cold skin.

"Ed-ward," she choked, blood staining her lips and sliding down her chin like a delicate brush stroke.

She swayed on her knees, her vision shimmering, fading in and out from black to bright white. Her hands shook as she planted them on the floor in front of her, her elbows wobbling slightly before finally sucumbing to the weight of her body collapsing clumsily to the floor. Dull pain shot through her temple as her head slammed gracelessly against the hard surface, her teeth cutting through her tongue.

"Bella," Edward smiled, his hand extending out toward her.

She lolled her head to the side, her bloody smile dazed and blank, her mind struggling to wade through the murky images in front of her.

Was is really him?

Was he alive?

Was she dead?

"Come with me, baby. Me and you."

She blinked slowly, fat salty tears rolling down her blood stained cheeks, a pool of red forming around her body like a halo as her breaths became shallow, choppy, numbered.

He glided closer to her, kneeling slowly by her side and pushing her matted hair from her face lovingly.

"They can't hurt you anymore. No one can. We can run away, just liked we planned," he promised, his voice soft, reassuring.

"I―" she choked, blood spraying from her lips as she gasped for air, "can't run."

"You can do anything now, Bella."

"How?" she begged, lifting her arm in the air, her fingers trembling as she reached for him.

Edward reached out and grasped her hand in his, bringing it to his lips and kissing it gently, her creamy skin free of blood, clean and petal soft. "You can't fight fate," he whispered. "Not even death can keep us apart. Forever remember?"

The blackness that had consumed her, wrapped itself around her in a protective cocoon, began to pull away like fog burned away by the sun. And as it retreated it was replaced with light, like a budding flower whose delicate petals unfurled and spread, smooth and soft, innocent and pure. Isabella smiled, the light fading from her eyes as her body became slack, her facial muscles relaxing one behind the other, and with one last shuddering breath she whispered faintly, "forever."

* * *

**A/N**

***exhales* what a freaking ride man. This story pushed me off the cliff of my comfort zone in both content and 3rd person pov. But I had an amazing time sharing this tragically, horrific love story with all of you for Halloween. Honestly, this is the best ending BxE could have. Her mind broke, there was no coming back from that. At least now, they are at peace, and they are together. And really, that's what we ultimately wanted anyway.**

**Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy held my hand through this entire thing. Even when I panicked at chapter 10 and tried to change the rest of the story. They smacked me around a little and told me to calm the hell down and tell the story as I'd always seen it. So I did. And it was hard, but it's all about challenging yourself to write outside the box, right?**

**Right, Joo? Yes. Thanks to you too, as always.**

**Thank all of you for reading, reviewing, pimping, EVERYTHING! Horror isn't very popular in the fandom, so to have so many people give it a shot means the world to me!**

**Also, QSS has been nominated for fic of the week over at The Lemonade Stand! It would be super effing cool if my little tale of horror ended up in one of the top five spots, so if you are so inclined please stop over and give it your vote at tehlemonadestand dot net.**

**Love you all! Have a safe and happy Halloween!**

** Until next time!**

**~Liv**


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